The Scooby Gang Book 4 - Second Draft first 15 chapts
by rocky-griffin-az
Summary: The 4th book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f
1. Chapter 1

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

TSGB-TSGB-TSGB

Previously on: _The Scooby Gang Books 1_

The Powers That Be have had their plans to control, murder, and finding allies to fight the Scoobies thrashed for the last six months, ever since January of 1998 things have spiraled into darker and darker waters.

The plan to have Angel loose his soul to Buffy birthday romp was waylaid and Janna's Gypsy Clan were able to add another layer of the curse which triggers the heart to beat with life whenever it wanes or weakens rather than releasing the soul.

Xander ensured Angel was safe after Buffy's slayer portents concerning his possible demise, for Buffy's sake, and in the process starts to unite with him against the adversity and eventually trusts him enough to put him 'under' vampire hypnosis to verify Dawn's former status as 'ignored' was natural or unnatural.

Dawn's ignored status until now was due to the Powers' plans and a temporally placed key in human form.

Cordelia and Willow explore their new 'friendship' and talk about how they feel about Xander. The decision is made to share him and entice him into an open relationship to avoid the hurt that both feel the potential for in Xander and it allows them to realize their own sexual tension. Dawn and then Kendra are absorbed by the two's open sexually and Xander.

All is for naught with Powers' plans, they send bigbads after them in quick secession; things that were planed for slow confrontations over the next years were tossed into the melting pot and the Scoobies defeated them all but were still unable to anticipate their murder of Joyce.

Xander's talents surface as a runic master and possible fire mage, not to mention he has a blood connection to the Kalderash. An errant wish and a rebellious Demon Lord of Justice allow for Anyanka to download ten thousand years of runic knowledge into his head. Cordelia has a small magical core and a runic talent but is less focused on runes than Xander. Willow's a magical powerhouse and barely has any ability with runes at all. Dawn's magic is different and vast.

With Angel's killing of Glory, a hell goddess, the group decides to step up the timetable and set the wards, 'now' to ensure they don't somehow send Angel into a coma.

_TSGB-TSGB-TSGB_

_Book 2_

With LeVelle Manor displaced to between the realms due to Dawn's Talent strengthening the wards they must secure their human needs which they do mostly by utilizing runes. The only land mark of between is a large "Stem" that seems to be almost plant like and turning or they're orbiting. Unable to get back home they attempt to connect by means of a portal and Dawn's blood. The wall first connects to the Archway in the Department of Mysteries inside the Ministry of Magic. They spy with runic magic and then make some friends with students of Hogwarts and a traveler sent thru the Vail in a battle at the department.

The making of the first Doorway they plant one in LeVelle Manor and one in Grimmauld Place (Doorway 1), the headquarters of the order of the phoenix. Dawn's blood may not have been needed but it supplied a firm extra kick just in case.

The portal shifts and the new world is a Goa'uld world and they rescue a Goa'uld victim of a sadist rapist. Egeria stays with them as part of their family and they rob the Goa'uld blind and do some damage before the portal shifts again leaving no way back to that realm.

The future world with antigun laws and advances methods of mater conversion is the second doorway (Doorway 2) to be set up. They set up an estate utilizing some of the technology Egeria pilfered from her world.

The Hogwarts kids are staying at the Manor and helping out. They start to explore their own relationships without the common limitation of monogamy, following Xander's example.

The next time the portal shifts it is to an ugly world, a machine world. They save and adopt a survivor named Eric Connors and seed a good portion of the area around the portal with blocks that dampen all electricity. They don't leave a doorway there.

The next shifting of the portal is to an Earth that is in the year 4002 AD and they explore a bit. They manage to use some of the technology the have from the other realms and eventually make it to the Star Kingdom of Manticore, the best choice they could find to offer any form of alliance with. They set the doorway for this realm on the ship they procure (Doorway 3).

The portal shifts again and a fairly normal and modern world but lacks any demons or aliens, or even immortals, as far as they can tell. However they find out that it has a Chappa'ai because Egeria can feel it when it is working. They set up a forth Doorway (Doorway 4) here.

The portal shifts again and they go to a world that they never left and it is two years later. They explore the differences at party for the Dawn that had not been born for three and half years after she was in their world. They set up a doorway here as well, (Doorway 5).

Through Doorway 1 Immortals are revealed to the group, the wizarding world ends their war with deatheaters, the new year at Hogwarts starts, and using the advanced technology from the Doorway 3 to help the immortals, Amanda and Duncan, produce offspring.

Technology is shared with Manticore and the group is on their way to an area that is sure to have Naquadah in it.

The party to celebrate Dawn's birthday, the younger one from the newest Door, they get sent way from the stem like large thing. Will the Doors still work? The portal is dead.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

_Book 3_

Dawnie's party continues, after the party Dawn checks over Cordelia from LA and they help repair the damage she thought was caused from the visions. Dawn shares with them what they suspect of the 'creature' and the visions as well as the power's interference with them.

_The Joyce_ heads to the Yeltsin System which is a system that should be ripe with Naquadah.

Tara's birthday relief comes when Xander LeVelle shares that the wards won't let anyone hurt her and after seeing her mind that he doesn't believe she is actually a demon. Ted Maclay is no more and his two sons are eunuchs by fire.

Yeltsin System is in the Christmas Season. Contact is made after Naquadah is confirmed, Commander Hill with Orbital Four and then Steadholder Mayhew, Michael.

The slayers spend time in Sunnydale slaying and other stuff. Giles spends time with Giles; they seem to find the other's company quite refreshing and it allows them to catch up with the different parts of the two groups.

Doors are put on Grayson after Giles brings it up spontaneous thinking about it. VPs monitor a number of broad spectrum EG Scouts for the Yeltsin System but isn't very affective.

Xander grows closer to some of the men on Orbital Four, Tyler and his S-wives mostly. Nothing as open as anything he has with group from the manor, Sunnydale, or even Hogwarts but still a friendly association that he could think on fondly.

Hogwarts kids start to spend Hogsmeade weekends and such at the Manor for fun. They're board with Hogwarts a bit and learning new things as well as Ron missing Egeria much to her pleasure. The Animagus potion is brought up and tried everyone has a form, Xander LeVelle is a treecat, Harris is a panther, the Dawns are both a phoenix, Willow is a lynx, Cordelia is a lion, the Buffys are a wolf, the Angels share the bat form for their vampires sides and Buffy's Angel has a wolf as a secondary form while Cordelia's Angel has a hawk, the Giles share a Great Dane, Janna is a fox, Kendra is a coyote, Allen is a Chewelah, Harriet is a squirrel, Frank is a Doberman, Janet is a poodle, Michael is a Russian Blue, Amy is a Persian, Aura is a Black Beagle (beset hound dog), Nancy is a big red dog, Egeria is a griffin, Harry is a Falcon, Ginny is a falcon, Luna is a hawk, Hermione is a eagle, Ron is a lion, Susan is a porcupine, Duncan is a dog, Amanda is a raven, Anya is a ferret, Riley is a hedgehog, Joyce is a hippogriff, Tara is a snowy owl, Willow of Sunnydale is a black footed cat, and Cordelia of LA is an eagle.

Dates between the universes and times make for interesting issues when Frank is dealing with multiverse corporation management.

Xander treats the work on Orbital Four as more of a job and production achieves almost 80 % increase and 12 % better quality. He makes a load of money (Austins).

Manticore (Willard Neufsteiler) sends updates on LeVelle Industries of Manticore. (Feb 15).

Remus Marries Tonks (Dec 14) and is a silenced worry wart about it. Sirius Pranks him on his wedding night to loose his hair. Runic Paddles are introduced as a joke but take quite a spin in their exploration (sexually)

Molly is upset at the kids spending Christmas at LeVelle manor instead of the burrow and joins them some of the time there.

Xanders wax philosophy together.

Weekly pay outs from Orbital Product and such are changed to every other month. Grayson Planetary Security is at a quandary on how Xander gets to his Apartment without their knowing it.

Amanda and Duncan have a tubed fetus growing past the first trimester successfully and are very happy about it.

Giles goes on a booty call to Olivia in England, Willow and Anya make a mess with Olaf the former boy friend of Anya's and current troll. Tara and Harris tell them to handle their own arguments and leave to the manor to avoid it.

Giles asks Tara if she's going to ever tell the other girls she wishes to bed Xander and suggests a girls' night to discuss it.

Asgard show up with Replicators on the Chappa'ai world, SGC is discovered, approached, and given what they need to defeat the replicators.

High physics is briefly touched on with the SGC, the soul being the cause of the Entropy Cascade Failure as every cell would be slightly different with the exposure to different foods or chemicals and such.

Xander not wishing to get too involved with the SGC as he is already involved with Grayson and enjoying it; he gets Allen and Harriet to be there in an advisory capacity for now at least.

Asgard cloning issues are discovered and Dawn delivers all of the information they have on medical science in the library from both the Beowulf and Egeria's homeworld, thought Egeria's homeworld has very little.

Asgard agree to stretch the limits of the Treaty after their help and share the idea of cryogenic frozen prisoners of war.

Riley and Buffy take a break for a week before they are going at it as Friends with Benefits.

During the Hogwarts Apparition Class the former Horcrux Diadem is found when Hogwarts helps guide some students she likes to the room of requirement.

Watchers try to help with sharing about Glory.

Xander then Tara picks up on April the Robot.

Tara gets Anya and Willow onboard her _Bedding Xander Plan_.

Advances made and magic compared to tech in both theory and practice.

SGC - A Jaffa seeks help as she's communing with her Primta and they provide a clone with internal security for the Tok'ra to monitor and help him. They kill him when he tries to kill the Jaffa for her insolence.

The Tok'ra's Arm Band study and Allen's idea helps them secure a mother ship and keep the Jaffa as Cryogenic prisoners. They now have an orbital base to house the stargate, labs, and such. This forms the EDC, Earth Defense Center, which has SGC as a sub section on it.

Jack and Sam get ill from after affects of the Arm Band Virus and are aging, Harriet and Allen are upset at the gullibility of them to believe the corrupt government about the 'destroyer of worlds' when it they learn about the Dargol Pesticide and her trying to help people.

Xander attends to SGC to help with checking Lynnea's memories and helping, he brings the Pensieve Cordy made. Lynnea was framed when she tried to help people and then had a very hard time on the prison planet.

Harris gets his three girls, the night before Glory is found by the traps, he's extremely sore when they defeat Glory and Angel drunk declares Xander his hero much to the Buffys' amusement.

The Sunnydale group goes to Blasedale realm to Hawaii for a holiday, Riley however goes to meet up with some of his solider buddies in South America, Kendra goes with him and he takes the first portable collapsible Door Xander made.

Xander gets word from Manticore and rushes off to meet them at his financial manager's request.

On the long ride to Manticore Xander develops a new Door, an Iris that transports and he utilizes a diamond to help power the two way transportation device across greater distances.

New tech for communication is going to be explored by BuShips, so Xander meets with Klaus Hauptman, Raoul Courvoisier, and several others about it.

Xander gets an apartment and invites Willard to see the Manor.

A ship is found in Yellow space.

Chapter 1: Babylon What?

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

AN: Special Thanks to CJ-Cold, for his help in looking this over

Inside _The Joyce_, docked at Manticore, Dawnie had just announced "There's a ship in the yellow space!" rather loudly. Between Dawn and Dawnie only Dawnie could achieve that level of excitement. It was one way she definitely differed from Dawn. The younger girl rushed back out of _The Joyce_ not waiting for their reaction. This was another thing telling gesture; Dawn would have recorded their expressions for posterity. For Dawnie it was as though she would miss the ship if she didn't get back to see it right now.

Giles gaped at the Iris Dawnie left thru for a full minute before he rushed after Xander, who had already moved thru it in that minute of contemplation.

The Iris to _The Joyce_ connected to the Manor's 'yard'. It made it easy to see the ship floating outside the wards, floating or flying depending on your definition of the two. The Iris had been set up there to make it easier to get larger things in and out without having to deal with the cramped space inside a room or hallway, not that it had been an issue, yet.

Willow sees Xander and Giles and she gestures to a ship that looked to have four thrusters and some guns of some sort; it was clearly out matched in the current conflict. She points, "That dark ship that looks like a spider of some kind turned towards us before it fired on the Last Starfighter looking ship thing."

Xander sighs. "That isn't a Gunstar, Willow. This one looks much more fragile."

She huffs smacking his shoulder pulling a chuckle at her reaction from her lover. He looks out and focuses. He'd not tried to mentally focus beyond the wards before. Now that he has he finds it's almost easier to focus through the expanse in the yellow red space than it was when he'd tried to focus his mind thru the normal space during his time on _The Joyce,_ though he could only guess at the distance's differences as even the perceived distance here seemed to be skewed. He pushes his focus towards the _victim_ ship which was currently attempting to evade fire.

'_**It seems that Michael Garibaldi and Warren Keffer of Babylon 5 are extremely worried.'**_ He had this fleeting feeling that Warren had seen this ship before only once but it was enough have a very strong dislike for it.

Garibaldi had seen one before too but for some reason it didn't compare to this one. Xander wasn't digging so he had no idea where they'd seen them before; just that they had there was enough mental shouting to know that.

Focusing on the spider ship, Xander held in his blanch, barely. After a second he refocused and his focus held some anger not just at what he'd felt but that the ship had then turned to the manor and fired on the wards.

"Incoming" he hisses a moment before they'd actually got off the shot. The shield wall that the words produced dimmed just a touch before flaring stronger and seemed to give off a slightly more solid color. The shot from Mr. Spider bounces away unevenly as though it was a laser hitting a spherical mirror; there was no give in the curvature of the ward's surface.

The focused thought and emotion from Xander hit the ship. The ship seems to twist and turn before it actually shattered. Xander might say it was exploding but that description didn't seem to fit quite right.

Xander let out a sigh. He knew the strangers had started following the spider like ship only because they couldn't leave this expanse of yellow and red space without finding a beacon and the expanse wasn't very accommodating when trying to locate said beacon.

Xander gestures to the ship. "We need to pull them in past the wards."

Giles nods. "I will leave you to figure out how." He gestures to the Iris, "I do believe we've already been cleared to disembark from Manticore's docks."

Xander sighs. The ship was approaching them but seemed to avoid the shield, simply examining the Manor and the people. Xander decided enough was enough after a half an hour and pulled out a snatcher and VP and sent it up. It didn't take much to catch the Starfury. Initiating the snatcher's grab immobilized the insides of the Starfury and cut their ignition.

Warren Keffer mutters, "What the fuck?"

It was just loud enough for Garibaldi to hear, so with concern the Chief asks the pilot, "What is it?"

"The controls just froze and we're now heading thru that shield."

"Shit!" the chief of security for Babylon 5 mutters and then unnecessarily adds, "Hold on!"

The shield didn't seem to have an affect on them and they both sighed as the snatcher set them down gently. The craft was right side up at least, it stood about twenty-some feet tall, was almost three times as long as was tall, and twice as wide.

The top popped up a bit and the two gentlemen sniffed the air as though they weren't sure it was poisoned or not, and then slowly got out, the smaller one was in the front and the small ledge about seven feet up was obviously used to get in and out with ease, they went towards the down angled wings on that side and hopped the four feet. There appeared to be some kind of steps to allow someone to climb in but it would be a climb not a simple step in.

As the two hit land Xander smiles, "Hello!"

Michael Garibaldi sighs with a touch of relief. He glances out at where the shadow craft was and back at the man he was sure destroyed it lifting an eyebrow.

Holding out a hand he lets them know, "I'm Xander LeVelle!"

"Michael Garibaldi and this is Warren Keffer, with Babylon 5." The Chief said while he gestured at the still stunned pilot.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance" was Xander's almost formal response said with a half bow. "Do either of you know what the hell that was?" he gestured.

Open communication was important for any first contact situation that will require prolonged or revisited contact. It not only allows them the ability to underestimate you because they always think they have more facts than they do, they also are more trusting with the facts they give you. Xander wasn't about to tell them that he'd gotten a pretty good picture of what they knew already concerning the craft. Besides he hadn't dug deep and talking about it might bring more thoughts of them to the surface, they felt darker than most demons.

Warren Keffer stiffens. "I do," he nods, "Well I've seen one anyway. It was what killed Ray Gallus back in February." He was informing Garibaldi more than Xander and it surprised Garibaldi to know the man had seen one before.

"I've never seen anything like that in space or hyperspace until now."

He wasn't even sure that the black ship he'd once seen on Mars was the same as the one he'd just seen destroyed, but he suspected this latest one was another of the same ship he'd found along side Sinclair when they first met so long ago.

The frustration of not knowing what it was, that was very real and the half grin he gave spoke volumes of it. Of course Xander had to wonder who this Lord Refa and Londo Mollari were, that the mind screaming 'honest cop' had wished to catch out in the act. Not that Garibaldi knew what the act was.

Glancing at the house and ground Garibaldi continues, "That isn't saying much, as I've never seen anything like this ship in space or hyperspace either."

Xander smiles and laughs as he tells him, "I'm not sure I would call this a ship. It's a home, and we are protected from that out there but we haven't really done much to gain any propulsion."

Taking a better look around the chief nodded, "I see."

Suddenly Michael and Warren blinked in unison, eerily similar in their display of shock while the hippogriff landed near them and cocked his head peering at them.

Smiling at their reaction Xander introduces them, "This is Buckbeak, he's just curious."

The hippogriff seemed make a sound that sounded half like bark and half like a screech while looking at Xander.

"You should give him a half bow," he said. "This is Michael Garibaldi and Warren Keffer, gentlemen meet Buckbeak."

They both gave a half bow.

It was startlingly quite for about five or ten seconds before Xander speaks up, "You guys want a soda or something?"

The offer and sudden noise surprised Garibaldi and Mr. Keffer. After taking the Coke, name brand, in an aluminum can was making him very uneasy. The can had an actually date on it from the nineteen hundreds. Michael Garibaldi had a feeling in the pit of his gut. He really hoped he'd be able to see his friends again but somehow he wasn't holding his breath.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The two had quite a few questions and Garibaldi was put into the position of asking things he didn't have any idea on the answer. Those types of questions weren't a common occurrence for the Chief of Security for Babylon 5. He liked to verify information and have an idea of what the answer was going to be before ever asking the questions.

Xander was aware of the fact that he was frustrated and antsy so tried to anticipate some of his questions, asked or unasked. This awareness had almost the reverse affect as Garibaldi. It seemed he distrusted telepaths, the idea that there was a section of their population, not limited to human populace, that were telepath twigged Xander's paranoia to a great degree.

"No, we've not been floating around for the last few centuries!" Xander said amused.

Garibaldi stiffened a bit and sighs out, "How did you get into hyperspace and how long have you been here?"

"Hyperspace?" Xander's voice broke. "That's what you call this? Alight. We've been here about a year. The first area we were in had this…" he paused, "landmark" he smirked at the name. "It went as high as you could see, and was about the same below what you could see, and the distance from us to it was about the distance Earth was from the sun, give or take." He didn't remember how far it had been from the stems. They'd only shared it once and he wasn't sure if anyone else remembered or not either.

That got a shock from both of them, "What?"

"Oh yea; we believe that the Stem was somehow connected to the universe's quantum placement, and not just this universe but all those connected to this… well, maybe realm is a better description. You see we have a few people that are practitioners of ancient magics, arcane arts of energy manipulation, something that most likely will eventually be thought of as high physics and genetic predisposition for specific talents."

"Magic?" the chief might have laughed but Xander snapped his fingers and held out a small fireball.

"No tech involved; just a bit of mind over matter. I wasn't that committed to learning it, and though others might be able to produce fire this is one of my specialty talents. I'm what others call a fire elemental. We don't know what level I'm at yet because I don't practice as much as I should." He was sheepish at that.

The guests were speechless so Xander continues, "I have a bit of talent for etching or inscribing and empowering symbols; we call them runes. Runes are a basic instruction to the universes raw potential energy. I'm the best at runes but I lack the power to do even third year spells right now."

"Spells?"

Xander nods pleased to have them verbal again. He pushes his cup off the table, allowing it to fall and break on the floor. He pulled out his wand and tried to cast the repair charm… it didn't quite work right.

With a sigh Xander growls out, "…And sometimes I can't even do third year charms."

He looked at the malformed cup and growled again.

Shocked out of his stupor Michael nods, looking at the wand with a curious expression he asks, "May I?"

Shrugging Xander hands him the wand, "Sure!"

Garibaldi felt something almost right away but brushed the feeling off. He attempted to do the same command. Xander groans when the cup straightened just a bit, not quite where it was but he was now glaring at Garibaldi.

He snatches back his wand and whines to man that just entered, "I give up, Giles!"

Garibaldi would guess that he'd come in from the doorway of some sort he could see from the window.

Caught off guard Giles asks him, "Give up?"

"Trying spells that don't work for me!" he stipulated. "When a guest that isn't even using a matched wand does better then me… ON THE FIRST TRY!?" He growled at magic in general.

Giles burst out laughing. "Stick to runes and fire, my boy. You might wish to simply go thru all the spells in the school books and find which ones you can cast without further effort than a moderate attendance. Simply work on what you can do and leave the rest to others."

Xander pouts at the idea that Giles was telling him to leave the exciting things to the grown ups, even if that wasn't what Giles was saying it was what Xander felt like Giles was telling him.

Garibaldi, realizing that it was a common thing evidently, gave a brief chuckle before asking him, "Is that how you destroyed that… spider looking thing?"

Xander shivered. "We made these." He pulled out a thin leather strap on his neck. "They let us use pictures and our memory of a person and send them a message in the mind. Anyone can use one but in order to send the message you have to have full visualization. Even twins will have a slightly different mental feel to them regardless of whether you consciously realize it or not. This is because the human mind can perceive the aura which will be unique. Every soul is unique." He shrugged.

"When I tried to reach out to send you a message I couldn't quite get it to you. I wasn't close enough or familiar enough with you. When I tried to send that thing a message…"

Xander shivers, if Garibaldi was watching he might have noticed that several of the residents were eavesdropping.

"I've felt demons that were less sick in the head than that thing was. Its entire aura was filthy and evil. Corrupted beyond anything redeemable, when I felt it, I really shouldn't have, not to that extent, it was…" he sighed and took a drink of his soda.

"It was then that I pushed… instead of a message, I sent all my anger, hate, love, joy, and fear, every emotion I could attach to any messages, and I _screamed_ at it."

Garibaldi blanches at that.

Xander nods. "I've never done it with any one, even a demon, but I would hazard a guess that the reason it exploded was because it was susceptible to mental attack. I'll set up a runic array and see if we can record the emotional burst it would take to disrupt one, don't know exactly how I'll test it."

He glanced at them with an old fashioned look.

Garibaldi ever the security specialist asks him, "So it wouldn't work with a normal ship?"

Xander shook his head. "It might give them a headache and I doubt I could keep it up long enough even with the array to be much more then a distraction, though…" he paused. "I suppose we could get Fawkes to sing and record the emotion from that; it would inspire any troops or ships that were fighting on the same emotional footing as Fawkes." He was seriously considering it because the Dawns wanted to chat with the old bird.

"Fawkes?"

"He's a phoenix. I'm getting off on a tangent. We were talking about the stems being somehow connected to the different realms of this universe. The reason we know that is because of Dawn," he gestured, "and Dawnie. They have a gift in dimensional-control. Dawnie has just started but Dawn had been practicing for quite a while."

"Are they twins?" he asked and the two shook their heads.

Dawn answers him, "We're analogs, born different times in different realms."

"You… visited different realms" he asked or stated, he couldn't be sure if he was asking or stating in disbelief. It was as though it was no longer academic and he needed confirmation.

"Yea." Xander nodded. "We had no idea that we were in a realm at all. I'm still not convinced we are. We set up a few Doors after we established a portal to the different places we believed were accessed through the stem. After we made sure it was safe we set up a Doorway," he gestured, "so that when the temporary portal went out we'd still have the ability to go to and from that Earth, or world, as we moved, and we left a Doorway on a couple of them."

"Earth," Michael perked up a bit, "you can go to Earth?"

"One Earth" he shrugged explaining, "is from around 1997 or thereabouts; you can check the calendars. The Earth from the 4003 wasn't nearly as nice as some of the star nations from that realm. As far as I could tell from there they have very few intelligent alien life forms but they do have a few such as treecats which I've been researching and the then there's the Medusans who have no joints and swivel to walk." He shivered, "They look like they belong in a B-Rated horror flick."

Garibaldi blanched just a bit. He started thinking of the other alien races out of instinct and Xander had been reading him while he did it.

"I know that there was a lizard like people that were around about a hundred thousand years before Mankind in that realm but they either de-evolved or moved on."

"So there are no wars there? I mean we recently had a war with Minbari?"

"Oh yea, same things as usual – religion, land, rights…" he shrugged.

"Why didn't you stay there if you could…?" he gestures at the Iris.

"Why would we? We'd assumed this was in between realms so it was perfectly safe. We used runes to ensure fresh water and air. We set up UV lighting for outside and… it's our home."

The others were smiling.

"I doubt any of the Doorways you have takes you to our world. Do any of them have aliens that look human, at least for the most part? I mean the Narn are like Africans but without hair, and they have spots, and Centauri they have… seven sexual organs and hair that stands up in the back."

Surprised Warren Keffer can't help but asks, "They do?" Up until now he'd been mostly quite.

Garibaldi nods with distaste "According to the medical files on general Centauri anatomy."

"Wow, I didn't know that; I mean, how do they…?"

Xander spoke up quickly and firmly, "Let's not talk about that!"

Garibaldi shot him a thankful look.

Teasingly Xander added, "You can always ask him after hours. I don't know about your world but when you talk about sexual organs and how they pack them, it usually is a personal matter."

As he was blushing Dawn decided to even the score, "It is dear? I mean we don't normally limit what we discuss…"

Joyce warns, "Dawn!"

Dawn pouts.

"She's right though." He added, "I just didn't want to discuss male anatomy. Now if you know about how their females are different…" he smirks wiggling his eyebrows in a Groucho Marx fashion.

Garibaldi groans. "You and Sheridan will get along great when we finally get back home."

Xander winces giving him a nod. "We can try to get you home. You mentioned that there's a beacon that is marking the area that can open the gate to normal space and that it sends a signal to the gate to open?"

Gesturing affirmation at the young man, he stayed silent.

"I wonder how this jump gate tech will affect the hyperspace that the other realms developed, and why is it" he adds a bit of whine to his voice, "that each of them insists on calling it hyperspace?"

Garibaldi blinked and glanced at the Doors. He wasn't a geek but he wasn't stupid either. "You know maybe you can give me a brief outline of the worlds you've got Doorways to? I wouldn't mind exploring a bit."

"Sure. I think Egeria would likely be the best when it comes to understanding the Tech of the worlds, or magic as one world the Magic is almost to the same level of the technology in the other."

The Chief sighs; he was going to have to curb the impulse to automatically assume they're whack jobs because they're talking about magic as though it's real.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Garibaldi's mind had a distinct tactical understanding of the races coming to Babylon 5. The fact was the Minbari, Vorlon, and even some of the ships for the Centauri were much faster, as far as Acceleration goes, than anything Xander was aware of in the Manticore fleet. Of course the use of hyperspace might be different and the Manticore junction… Garibaldi wasn't too aware of ship to ship battles, even having Earth Alliance live thru the war, barely; he wasn't much on battle field tactics. In fact the only reason he knew as much as he did was because of the former Babylon 5 Commander.

Stating the obvious Xander prioritizes, "We need a method of getting there and a method of finding out where there is."

Egeria asks hopefully, "Do we know exactly what direction it is?" She was really hoping for a general directional sense but didn't voice that.

Mr. Keffer shook his head and offered an explanation that he'd grown use to when it came to jumpspace, "Hyperspace is far too fast and there is nothing straight here. Even directions alter with perception. Hell, color shifts as well. In fact, some say they see the color swirling at the gravity sinks like the water down a drain."

Xander frowns. "Let's not get into hyperspace physics right now."

This was directed at Egeria more then Mr. Keffer. She knew it too as she frowned petulantly at him before she sniffed. Egeria was remarkably comfortable with Xander and at the moment she had no desire to bed him. She wasn't sure if this was because she had shut off the hormonal surges after the decision to bed Ronald before any other or if it was because she'd started to feel as though he was some kind of sibling. The fact that she wasn't opposed to the idea of sex with Xander meant that she couldn't quite think of him as a sibling but then again she really liked to tease him without flirting.

"So we need a direction from here first. I'm thinking a modified point me but I'm not sure it would work with me because I've never see a beacon much less this beacon."

Dawnie offers her idea, "Mr. Garibaldi could use your wand, or maybe we should take him to Olivander's to get his own wand and then we can teach him the point me spell."

Xander pauses and then gives her a shrug, "If you want to. I mean that will solve some navigation issues. I'm not sure that you, Warren, are magical. We can try and match you to a wand but I'm not sure it would work."

"Don't feel bad" little Eric spoke up helpfully. "I'm not magical either."

Warren smiled and razzed the boy's head. He liked Eric, he was a smart kid that reminded him of his kid brother; he'd died in the war with Minbari.

"I have no desire to have a wand kid."

Eric peered at him speculatively. He wanted a wand, but perhaps Warren was right and he didn't need one.

"I'll set to work on a rune set to explode. The wards should prevent any damage and we can set them to release their potential energy as soon as they're into a vacuum. I'm not sure exactly how long that would take though."

Mr. Keffer shook his head. "That would take far too long. The Thunderbolt can accelerate up to just over a Kilometer every second. After a full minute's burn you're going at sixty kilometers a second as your velocity with the added acceleration to add to that. We're at least ten minutes burn away from the beacon so that means were at least I don't know the math but six hundred kilometers a second was the speed when we cut the burn. That puts the possible range from here as, what two million kilometers? That's if it was a straight line and we go don't deviate which is hard to do in hyper. That doesn't count the five or ten minutes that we weren't burning and we really have no way to tell how fast we were going speed wise then because there's no relative positioning."

Xander had wide eyes and sighs before asking him, "How big is the beacon?"

Garibaldi shrugs. "It's just about big enough to see unaided at a hundred or so miles, if that."

Warren Keffer nodded his agreement.

"I guess… wait you can shoot the beacon the code to open up the gate when you get near enough, so that's fine, but you're right about the acceleration. Dawn, you feel up to giving them a tour of Diagon Alley and getting Michael suited for a wand? I'll talk to Egeria about setting some type of propulsion up. Maybe we can fabricate a system with higher acceleration and a bit more control as well."

"Sure dear, I'm taking Dawnie too…" she turned to her mother and quantified that last statement with a quest of permission, "If that's alright?"

Joyce smiles giving her assent, "Just behave. Take the floo and make sure you have the Portkeys to Grimmauld Place in case you get separated. Pick up a few extra for our guest, and explain how to use them."

The Fidelius was no longer active because Grimmauld Place was no longer the order of the phoenix, it made it so that anyone that knew the address could share it easily.

Dawn took the time to briefly explain what a Portkey was and Garibaldi was surprised. He glanced over at the small device that Xander and Egeria were using and he was sure they'd fabricated the shell of an ion propulsion motor. It wasn't like fusion propulsion, from what he could tell but then again he was more at home with a motorcycle then he was with ship design.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander hadn't paid much attention to the Goa'uld verses Manticore armor, though he knew well that Manticore utilized armorplast. A mix of elements to make a durable shell for the ships and very light weight in comparison to what the Starfury Thunderbolt was made of. Armorplast, crystoplast, ceramacrete, these were the things that had made up the majority of the ships from Manticore. It was much easier to mold into a form and fuse than it was to keep a constant temperature to materials and then worry about the areas that didn't quite keep the same temp. That was what caused weakness and the mix of the new ceramacrete and cryosplasts were constantly improving. There were millions of combinations that would help or hinder particular stresses, but thinner walls meant less rad-sheilding and Xander didn't think that was a problem with Garibaldi's verse.

Not only did he know that, but he also had a minor understanding of why the accel worked so well with the Minbari. The chief had heard it explained to one of the Minbari on the station that the artificial gravity was also a means of inertia dampening. It wasn't the same thing as simulated gravity which was more common.

It seemed that some things were almost a given like they were shown how to do them to help facilitate progress rather then learning on their own, and Xander somehow doubted that the gift of technology was completely altruistic. He would have to think on that, he wasn't quite being fair.

The Sunnydale group had returned, but Xander and Egeria were busy, so after a quite howdy-do to Joyce, Giles, Angel, and Buffy, they fled back to Sunnydale and out of the way. They were aware that they had guests but had been a bit high from vacation and sun so hadn't inquired too deeply.

"So far from what I can tell without getting into the craft itself their fighter here has actual thrusters rather then impellers," Egeria said. "That is unique to most. I would wager the death gliders were of similar quality in munitions and acceleration. Though it looks like this…"

"Starfury, a thunderbolt according to Mr. Keffer." He told her and she nodded.

"The Thunderbolt is very much the same; however it lacks the limited force field and seems to be much thicker metal."

He nods. "The puzzling fact is that it shows, here" he touched the pad she had the schematics on and she looked down, "that it has a fusion reactor."

She nods, frowning in thought. "A small one." She agreed, "I doubt it would be even half as much power as _The Joyce_ uses."

He shrugged. "I just found it ironic that they utilize similar technology in some aspects to Manticore but they're still using _metal_ as the base for their ship to ship armor. I know Grayson is using it because it's cheaper and they don't have the industry that others have, but I don't think even the advanced races in this world are supplementing it. Is this going to work?"

Egeria looked everything over and then gave him a look and shrugged before giving him a non answer. "I don't see why it wouldn't. We just need to make sure the nacelle is outside of the wards when it goes and because its outside and the wards, at a guess would prevent the physical manipulation from outside forces…"

Xander frowns in thought, "I think I'm going to inscribe a holding rune to it."

"Inscribed what?"

"First" he said as he and she walked towards the table that had the rune powered wood burner. "I want to make sure the part that stays inside is secure to the board, and that the board can only be physically moved by a willful hand in contact. I'll use the point of relative distance from the center of the wards and we should be able to put three of them up and then angle them down or up as well as side to side."

She sighs with a frown and grumpily tells him, "I will start to make three more."

He smiles at Egeria.

Cordy comes outside with Eric in her arms. "Do you need some help, sweetie?"

He looks up and shares a small little shake and a smile before gesturing to the little boy. "He tuckered out?"

She nodded with a pleased smile and coos, "He's growing so fast."

He let her know, "The Sunnydale group returned from their vacation. Joyce says they said to say hi"

She nods and asks, "Are Dawnie and Joyce returning to Sunnydale?"

He shakes his head. "I doubt it, both Buffys like her being here; Dawnie for some reason has made it abundantly clear she wants to stay here. She's even taking lessons from Egeria on science and math, from Giles on languages and culture, and Janna on Computers and English. I have a feeling Joyce would insist she stay simply because she's never seen her daughters work so hard at schooling."

Cordy agrees and explains, "I think she wants to attend that university on Manticore."

That surprised him. "I didn't even think of that. But a big part of that is history, I'll make sure we keep up to date on the history of Manticore and the other star nations… that's going to be a load of work." he grumbled.

Cordy smiles widely and nods. "It will but I have a feeling that Egeria wishes to go too and so will others."

Xander grumbles not wanting to think about future education at the moment, "Blah, school!"

Cordy laughs, "You're learning more than you would've in high school. You have an advantage others don't in that you understand what people mean, even if you don't understand the details from your own perspective. All of us that were exposed to the aspect will find that type of communication easier the more we use it. You use yours more often and that means you're picking up information you need from what your subconscious thinks it needs simply because of the routine exposure."

"Really?" He asks rhetorically then thinking on it nods.

She nodded as well, understanding the tacit fact that he agreed.

With a depreciating humor he tells her, "That makes sense, I wasn't always this smart."

He yelped as she smacked his arm and it wasn't soft.

"I think we've all told you about that," she told him sternly and then informed him with a no nonsense tone, "you were smart, you just lack motivation! I know for sure that only smart kids get into those classes Willow and you shared."

He grumbled and went about his wood burning noticing Cordy's smirk of victory over the self deprecating humor. Soon enough Eric was laid down and Cordy returned to Xander's side to 'help'.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4


	2. Chapter 2

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Chapter 2: Diagon Alley and Italian Food

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Michael's first step into twentieth century London had him blown away and they'd not even entered the magical district. He couldn't help but smile at everything and everyone as he watched. Warren was a bit more subdued than the Chief but the enjoyment was contagious. Dawn hailed a taxi and they made their way to Sharing Cross Road where the entrance to Diagon Alley was.

It was near the record store when Michael noticed the dingy pub they were approaching and turned to Dawn and Dawnie, "What was the name of the place again?"

"Diagon Alley, but the way in is the Leakey Cauldron." Dawn points to the sign of the pub that gave Michael the uneasy feeling.

Unable to see a pub Mr. Keffer asks, "Where is it?"

Michael started to fidget that he was able to see it and Warren wasn't.

Dawn took charge, "Relax, we just need to get your wand and then we'll look around."

Dawnie nods enjoying the take charge Dawn while the two men forced themselves to relax. They made their way thru the pub which set off almost all of Michael's paranoia, out the side door that he'd completely missed with his uneasy feeling they were inside a grungy alleyway with no exit. Dawn tapped three bricks and Michael let out a gasp as they opened up.

Dawn gestures, "This way to Olivander's."

Dawnie almost skips towards the wand shop as the two men trail after them still looking around the new place with awe.

They enter the narrow shop and as the last one allows the door to close a voice from the shadow startles Michael, "Welcome back Miss Summers!"

Looking at the voice, he's drawn to the eyes which he noted were eerily looking from the young Dawn to the older Dawn.

Olivander remarks, "I don't believe I have ever seen an aura quite so well matched as the two of yours." Turning to the younger excited Dawnie, "Will you be picking up a wand today as well?"

Dawnie looked at Dawn pleadingly and she nodded, Dawnie turns back, "Yes sir."

"And you? I don't recognize you but clearly you are magical. Your friend – I see very little magic in you… perhaps a focus to allow you to enter the Ally and such unaided?"

Before Warren could say anything Dawn answers, "Sure, Mr. Olivander."

Michael spent quite a bit of time trying to find a wand. The matched wand was from a redwood with a core was a heartstring from an elder Chinese fireball dragon donated by the dragon's latest human familiar who died shortly after the dragon.

Warren was given a small ring that had a piece of unicorn horn as part of the setting. It would provide not only a focus for minor magics. This meant adding to him an innocent strength and purity to his aura as well as twisting proverbially to increase his luck so long as it was aligned with a pure and innocent intent.

Surprised when told and couldn't help but ask for confirmation, "It came from a unicorn; you have unicorns here?"

"Of course we do." Dawnie told him, "We'll be stopping by to pick up a few horn granules from the apothecary too, Willow used up the last…"

Dawn leers fondly at her double, "Oh Dawnie, do behave."

Michael was unnerved again for a completely different reason. He was aware that Dawn was with Xander, or thought so by their display of affection, but now she was obviously flirting with… he wants to say herself or maybe her sister, but neither one of those is quite right and the entire situation made him uneasy, he wasn't about to complain about it but still.

When they exit the Alley Michael's stomach growls and he smiles suddenly as he thinks on where and when he's at, turning to their guide he asks, "Do you mind if we stop off for some authentic Italian food?"

Dawn smiles widely, "Not at all, Mr. Garibaldi; I'm not sure where an Italian restaurant would be, but the phone booth likely has a phone book or we can call information."

They called the operator and then information services to find the closest Italian Restaurant. They had a large dinner before they returned to Grimmauld Place; Michael really hoped they had some decent cartoons at the manor.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Upon returning, Michael was surprised to find that they'd already added three propulsion units. Looking at the design he observed that they were utilizing a type of energy reactor from an element they called 'Naquadah'. He had played with his wand a bit before Janna, a beautiful woman, taught him the Point Me Spell. Willow a redhead and Eric the child helped him practice so that he knew he could do it at least for short range.

As he exited the Manor he spotted Warren Keffer and approached, "I don't know how it works but it does." He hefted the wand.

Warren shrugged. Neither one was overtly religious but they were both raised catholic and though Michael respected the Church and others' opinions he'd had more then enough religion and was more of an agnostic than a believer. Oh he was fairly sure there was a God, but with so many races out there he wasn't about to demand that one religion be more important than another. That didn't mean the idea of magic was completely blasé, the truth was that it unnerved quite a bit. It didn't help that he was taking to it so well. The idea that he could do magic was almost as bad but worse of all was he felt this tingling excitement about actually doing magic.

"Just don't be pointing it at me until you know for sure how to use it."

"Sound advice, there are spells that make someone laugh and spells that torture them into insanity. Sirius Black" the man that had just walked up to them held out a hand.

"Michael Garibaldi, I really don't like the idea of using magic to torture someone, that sounds… it sounds just… wrong somehow."

Sirius smiles at that and gives the newly dubbed wizard a nod of agreement before telling him, "We're getting ready to test the controls of the three." He gestures toward the protrusions. "Xander figured you two would want one of these for communication without yelling." He handed the wizard a couple of collars, "If you concentrate on the voice coming in you don't really need a trump."

He had no idea what a trump was outside the card game, "A what?"

He pulls out two decks of cards and hands them both one, "A trump is one of these."

The first one is Xander waiving but the eerie thing was that it was moving. "They made the first ones with still photos, these are the wizard editions. If you're a good distance away you can use this to help focus your mind. Be warned it only works if you've had personal contact with the one in the picture and remember it, also you need to be touching the collars to use the runes."

Almost excited Garibaldi asks, "Really?"

Gaining a nod he puts the collar around the back of his neck and focuses on the card and Xander's smiling face. He couldn't quite send it, for some reason he knew he wasn't succeeding, he turns to the real Xander and focuses on him before sending, _**'Can you hear me?'**_

'_**I can' **_Xander sends back. _**'You're sort of loud you might want to try whispering in my head.'**_

Michael's mental voice was softer and he didn't need to focus nearly as much to send the thought, _**'I can try.'**_

'_**Much better, you want to do that magic you do? We'll let you navigate.'**_

'_**Sure.'**_

Unfortunately they spent the next five hours trying to get the hang of navigating to where Michael's wand had pointed. By the time they called it quits for the night Michael was not the only one tired nor was he the only one with very sore arms from over use. Add to that it was likely that they'd ended up further away from the beacon. At least they had some understanding for how to control the unit's propulsion the next 'day'. They would be able to utilize range of motion runes as well as using VPs while controlling scouts. This would no doubt help when Xander finished them that night before sleep.

Michael briefly wondered how the station was as he fell into a light slumber that was the best night's sleep he had in years.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

They managed some headway but no new system is perfect. They realized that if they didn't recalibrate direction every five minutes or so, they'd start to veer off course without ever altering their propulsion systems or turning, it was like the hyperspace twisted around them unpredictably. It took four attempts to maintain an hour separation before they realized that they ended up turning without meaning to. There was no north or south to show a positive relative.

When they found fruit of their altered positioning in the expanse, Xander had tried to use runes to keep a fixed relative position, or a constant north as it were, but as he hadn't seen the beacon he couldn't and Garibaldi sucked at runes worse then anyone else they'd ever tested and that was surprising because he had such an abundance of magic. They thought that with all his magic that the rune charge would at least stick for longer than five minutes. Even those that didn't have the talent at all, or the non wand users, had the ability to use runes for at least three or four hours and those with magic could flood the rune to last for closer to a day with affect.

Xander set up the tool they used to look at the Stems and wanted to use them to see the direction of where the beacon was. He was hoping to see how far away it was. That wasn't really possible without Garibaldi to add the final rune to find it and they did try, it just didn't have enough runic charge to locate the beacon.

For some reason they didn't think of using Warren in this, they didn't even think to test his runic ability.

Xander almost whines, "I'm starving; I think we need a break."

The others actually looked relieved.

As they sat down to eat, Buffy stiffens. "Oh shit, Riley and Kendra are in trouble; Kendra has been knocked out."

As she starts to stand and grab the sword from the side of the cupboard, Xander tells her, "Take a Zat with you!"

She almost whines a protest but seeing the look on his face settled for a reluctant sigh and nod. As soon as she was through the folding portable Doorway, Xander got up and started getting ready.

Garibaldi didn't miss that he'd waited until the little girl was gone and it seemed that the others were amused.

Joyce's voice sounded serious though, "Do be careful Xander, and be sure to bring my daughter home!" She hugged him in thanks.

Xander grins at her and slips on a necklace. "I have my portkey to take me to Sunnydale where the others are, if they are too much to handle."

Joyce smiles and kisses his check before he rushed off.

A curious Garibaldi asks, "Does he do this kind of thing often?"

Considering how tired Xander was he knew they were not going somewhere to play peacemaker.

Dawn was the one who answers with a growl, "All too often, I'll go let Egeria, Giles, and the others know we're on alert and open the sarcophagus."

Joyce smiles at her mature daughter, "Thank you Dawn." The mother figure of the group turns to her other daughter and suggests, "Why don't you help, Dawnie?"

Dawnie smiled nodding before she too rushed off to help. With the two gone Joyce turns to Garibaldi, "Xander believes in freedom of choice, but he's avoided the Sunnydale realm because he feels that they already have one of him there and I think he sees it as taking away that Xander's choice."

That surprised him, "There are two of him? What is he choosing? I mean it looked like he was getting ready to face a battalion of Minbari…"

"One aspect of Sunnydale to consider is the Hellmouth. With the Hellmouth, comes demons from… well, it's what scholars refer to as Hell. I'm not sure if there is a religious significance or not. Giles wouldn't mind telling you about it if you want to know more."

Michael pales and asks, just to be sure, "Not aliens but demons?"

Angel had come in as Dawnie left to help; he gave Joyce a look and a nod then took up the explanation for her, "The most common demon is a vampire. When a vampire is born, for a want of a better word, they use a recent victim that had been fed blood from the sire before the victim actually died. This invites the foreign entity into the body and when the soul is pushed out by death the entity makes it its home. No soul, no conscious, no love, no joy, and no life. It is actually powered by the demonic energy. I was once one, and a group of Gypsies got together and pulled my soul from the afterlife. They gave it control over the body, superseding the demonic essence."

They were shocked and it showed.

"Eventually when the taint of the demon was overcome and pushed aside using magic, you see what I am today. I still have a demon inside me, but right now it's screaming in pain. It was never meant to either share its body nor was it mean to be inside a living host. The lights here, they emit a spectrum of light similar to the sun that would burn a vampire, the only reasons I'm not are magic and that I have a soul."

"You…" he paused he could tell the man was telling the truth.

Angel smiled at the security chief and nodded. "If you have a mirror you'll see I have a reflection, but not a very clear one. There's a cloaking field that a vampire exudes around the corpse it infests which prevents simple reflection from showing up. The only reason I have reflection at all is because the demon is so weak that its aura is shrinking and the fact that I'm producing a living aura pushes its cloak away. I'm still strong as an ox, and I help out when I can but only when the people involved know about what I was and what I am. I don't have to fear what they would do to me so much as what I would be forced to do to them if they somehow made me their enemy."

The chief nods. "You're not going to go after Xander, the blond girl, and whoever this Kendra was they were going to help?"

He frowns and looks at Joyce his voice actually breaks, "What's going on?"

"Riley and Kendra ran into trouble and Buffy left right away. Xander followed about five minutes ago."

Angel started to mutter about stupidity and not letting him know as he got up quickly and started to search for weapons to help. Garibaldi found it quite humorous that the man was getting ready to go to the same place the younger man had rushed off to. It was even more hilarious when just before Angel was at the strangely off-shaped Doorway the others used to leave that they came thru backing up. Xander was last thru.

There was a sandy blond male, Buffy, and a woman carrying a darker skinned female. It looked like a stream of fire was coming from Xander's fingers and thru the Doorway and then consuming the Doorway itself.

The one with the female on her shoulder turned to the sandy blond male and put her left hand on her hip in a posture that screamed defiance as well as female attitude.

"Alight Finn!" She said or more accurately hissed. "I trust you because Graham said I could and he's not here. So what the fuck is…?"

"Language young lady" Joyce Summers hissed.

Samantha Hammond blushed as she realized she'd not paid any attention to the surrounding in her new location.

Dawn approaches, "What's wrong with Kendra?"

"She's unconscious," Riley said and then told her, "she took a knock to the head but her vitals were strong."

Dawn nods with a professional manner. "Slayer healing, she should be fine then; anyone else hurt?"

She started mothering Samantha as well as Riley and then her sister and Xander, in that order. Xander had looked fine and Garibaldi was sure he saw her goose the young man three times while she was checking him over. He was suddenly thankful that Franklin was male and not that way incline, he'd never give the doc a hard time again.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Quite frankly Michael was eager to get back to the station. He didn't really want to deal with the issues of demons and religion, as to him they went hand in hand though he didn't say that aloud. So when they found the beacon, he was thrilled.

"I have to hit the beacon with the Tachyon emission."

Xander blinked at the word, "Tachyon?"

The word caught him by surprise; it was like out of Star Trek, he instantly had a good understanding of tachyons from the security aspect of Garibaldi's job.

"FTL Communications?" he asked with advertised confusion.

Garibaldi nods. "The communication buoy has a substance called Quantum 40 inside it, on both ends they are constantly sending signals back and forth and inside here," he gestures, "there's a network. The buoys send a constant stream of information between themselves and this allows meager communication much faster then sending it in the normal space; but even there it's about five times faster the light travel."

"Wow. The communication orbs we have hit into the subspace using Naquadah and then can only be picked up using a similar communication device or something made to pick them up. I know that once they established a link it isn't broadcast wide-ranging anymore. This seems more like a tight beam of communication, much harder to track so it is more secure. Then again these buoys are generally known, unless they set up their own buoys away from the well traveled routes. I suppose doing that would make it possible to have a well hidden military force in constant communication if you need it."

Michael blanches at the idea and for some reason it really hit home. "I'll be back. It should be a warping easily seen to show the gate forming the entry into normal space."

Another reason he was doing it this way was his battery life was next to nothing, the micro fusion reactor was enough to send the burst of tachyons but that would only last a few moments before it too was needing to recharge and that would take about five hours, so best get it right the first time.

Xander asks, before he could get to the Thunderbolt, "Is Hyperspace the same level of vacuum as normal space?"

He'd suddenly thought of being inside normal space with nothing but a ward keeping the air in.

Michael nods but he wasn't sure as that wasn't exactly something they tested.

"All the same" Xander said, "I'm going to have everyone put on skin suits, EVA suits."

Michael shrugged and then sighed, he was right. He realized now that Xander was worried about whether the bubble would stand up to space the same as it would hyperspace. He didn't see why it wouldn't but then again some of the stories he'd heard about hyperspace not being quite so normal or regular might be something to consider.

It was a chore but Michael was most assuredly going to ask to keep the skin suit, if he didn't miss his guess the other larger suit was some kind of military or armored suit.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

It seemed that with what Xander learned from Garibaldi (who wasn't exactly the most knowledgeable human in the subject of hyperspace physics) the usual method of traversing hyperspace was to maintain a minimal speed or acceleration. This minimal accel was virtually zero, but it couldn't be deceleration since when the craft slowed down the gravitational fields from nearby stars would pull the craft into the gravity well that was represented in hyperspace by similar if slightly stronger gravity than what was in n-space.

There was some debate on whether or not someone was destroyed if they were pulled into the gravity well completely or if the gravity well simply pulled thru to the other side losing the travelers on a chaotic vector in hyperspace with an accel that was simply unable to match otherwise. It seemed that an accel away from the known paths and eddies or deceleration would send you deeper into the heart of jumpspace.

Xander was fairly sure that the _jumpspace_ was almost the same in different realms and with the stems he was fairly sure they were somehow connected. After all gravity is the same in all the realms he'd been to, it was just how the will of the people affected the constants of the realms. Even magic to some extent was a tapping of it, he was sure.

Xander asks, "So this is it?" he was looking at the VP in front of Garibaldi.

Garibaldi nods. "I've put the Starfury on auto repeat, and we have enough juice for about forty seconds of solid transmission before we'd have to wait for it to recharge. With the burst we should be able to hit it every thirty seconds and for ten second bursts. I'm just turning the entire bubble to hit it just right."

Larger ships had automatic tracking for the beacon and didn't have to worry, even the Starfury had a computer augmented thruster to allow it compensate after the line of sight was good enough.

When Xander snatched the Starfury from the jumpspace he'd unknowingly drained the active energy in the ship as it connected to the magic fighting each other. This meant the fusion batteries had been completely dried. The Micro Fusion Rector would normally feed the energy into the batteries and into an already established fusion bottle within the fusion batteries. They'd not even looked at this the first week and a half.

Xander wondered if the snatchers magic be less or more effective on larger ships, or ships with armor.

With the weeks of searching for the beacon and traveling there, the micro fusion reactor was able to rebuild a fusion bottle within the battery but it was quite small and unlikely to be enough to power the majority of the systems on the thunderbolt or Xander might have set something else up. Xander couldn't help but think on the similarities to what he was sure were in the different classes of a battleships from Manticore as the world spun just a bit.

The musings of energy efficiency and similarity were cut off by Michael's exclamation, "We got it!"

Michael set the bubble into the docking lane to exit hyperspace. It was luck as the fusion battery was completely drained again with the last burst of Tachyons. They were heading into normal space.

Buckbeak was inside with a few runes to protect the room and keep the oxygen if the wards failed. It also monitored the air levels and such inside the dome outside. The others all had skin suits on, even Dobby was in his skin suit that looked a bit more awkward than Eric's.

"We are in normal space," Garibaldi said and then smirked. "If we had communications set up we'd be getting quite a few demands from Babylon 5," he said with some humor.

"Air is good" Xander said and sighed with relief. "Pressure hasn't deviated at all."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Commander Susan Ivanova was in a mood and it wasn't one that allowed for surprises, seeing the surprise on her screen she mutters "What the hell?"

Overseeing the Command and Control when the jumpgate activated had her looking at a … _sphere_ that arrived thru the jumpgate. It seemed that whatever the sphere was, she couldn't get a read on anything; even the radar was bouncing off.

"Captain Sheridan, I need you to see something, I'm in C&C."

Sounding haggard the captain responded, "This is Sheridan; I'm on my way!"

They'd all been suffering the with chief's absence a bit more these the last few days. The security forces' second in command wasn't ready to run security; that was more than clear! Then again he'd only been there since shortly after Santiago's assassination.

It was over five minutes later and she was still trying to get a better look at the object that came thru their jumpgate, when Captain Sheridan stepped up to her station and froze as he spotted the magnified display.

"Is that a house?" he asked stunned.

Ivanova sighs. "I'm not sure what the hell it is," she complained, "We've sent them every type of signal we could muster and we can't even read their rector mass…"

Michael Garibaldi's voice sounds from directly behind them. "Hey is this thing on, Xander?"

They both turned and froze in an instant. Behind them was the clear image of their friend, floating off the ground over the people working. They gawked as he seemed to be talking to someone other then them.

"Well how am I supposed to talk to them if I don't know if it's projecting right?"

"Oh, thank you, Egeria. It seems to be working right. Commander, Captain, sorry about the method of communication, but the nice little plot of land floating out here in space doesn't have what you might call normal communication ability. Mr. Keffer's Thunderbolt is pretty dead; I doubt any signal could penetrate the bubble enough to have it pick it up. I'm sending my image and sound to you with a four and half second delay; so you need to wait for a few to get my responses. I'm with Mr. Keffer. We were attacked in hyperspace while he was running me on an errand as a favor." He then mutters, "I never did find out what Lord Refa and Mollari were up to concerning the station but then again getting attacked by a ship shaped like a spider wasn't on the agenda. Luckily we happened upon this here… home, that's as good a word as any. They helped us out and we eventually rigged up a propulsion system and hauled ass to the B5 Hyperspace Beacon."

"I see" he glanced at the sphere and he could see a few people out on the grounds waving. "Are there people outside waving at us?"

It was five seconds later that Garibaldi smirks amused at his captain's response, "Indeed, we're going to get in Mr. Keffer's thunderbolt and come on home. Do you mind terribly if they set the sphere in orbit within the station's view? They don't really have a place to dock." He was smiling widely at the thought of trying to dock a sphere shaped piece of land.

"By all means, and Michael… it's good to have you home."

The image smiled and nodded before it fizzed out.

"That is both a relief and a surprise," he said to Ivanova.

She smiled and nodded.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

At the Manor, it took almost two seconds after his smirk to realize they didn't have a way to let Ivanova and Sheridan know they weren't hostile.

"Oh shit we don't have a way to let them know who we are." He almost groaned at not thinking of it sooner; the manor didn't use tachyon based communications.

"Egeria's been working on a system that Ra had to project a hologram to and from different locations."

"How will we know it's getting there?"

"Oh you'll know."

It took about three minutes to set up the field projectors and then set up the transmitter.

"Hey is this thing on, Xander?"

"Of course it's on. You're sending the signal straight to the center of the bridge place you pointed out."

"Well how am I supposed to talk to them if I don't know if it's projecting right?"

Egeria giggles. "There's a five second delay, well four and a half really because it takes two and a quarter seconds to get there, and you see this here? When you look at it, you'll see the image overlay. So long as you don't move your head much you'll see the entire view from your projected location, I've pointed you towards the area you said your commander would be in."

"Oh, thank you, Egeria. It seems to be working right. Commander, Captain, sorry about the method of communication but the nice little plot of land floating out here in space doesn't have what you might call normal compunction ability. Mr. Keffer's Thunderbolt is pretty close to dead I doubt any signal could penetrate the bubble enough to have it pick it up. I'm sending my image and sound to you with a four and half second delay, so you need to wait for a few to get my response. I'm with Mr. Keffer; we were attacked in hyperspace while he was running me on an errand as a favor. I never did find out if Lord Refa and Mollari were up to something concerning the station but then again getting attacked by a ship shaped like a spider wasn't on the agenda. Luckily we happened upon this here… home, that's as good a word as any. They helped us out and we eventually rigged up a propulsion system and hauled ass to the B5 Hyperspace Beacon."

Xander grins. Garibaldi was taking not only a VP to steer the ship, it lacked any power now, but he was taking an Iris.

"Just make sure that it's in a secure area. The wards would prevent anyone meaning ill intent towards us from coming in but I'd rather not play host to a half a million curious souls."

Michael nods with a grin. "I'll set up in my quarters, after I talk to Captain Sheridan and Commander Ivanova. I don't see a reason they wouldn't allow it."

After gaining a wand of his own and several books on the handy little pad, he was going to be doing some late night reading and trying out a few things, and if anything messed up he'd want the Iris nearby to get some help

Egeria broke into his train of thought, "I was thinking of starting to build a docking clamp over at the far end. Eventually we can set up some method of ship landing or docking. It would also give us a way to have someone land and if for some reason the wards reject them they won't be smashed inside the ship."

He winces as he recalled thinking of smashing the ship into the bubble. Now he winces again thinking of the ship being unaffected by the wards while he or Warren Keffer unable to pass them. For some reason he was thinking of the way coal was turned to diamond and how painful that process was for the diamond.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4


	3. Chapter 3

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Chapter 3: SGC, EDC Up to Speed

cj_cold is a beta for this chapter

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Officially all the assets of the SGC were now under the Command of the EDC. Ops were running within the former standard efficiencies, although there were some logistics which by necessity needed a different hand at running them. They had however been planned for and the official efficiency standards weren't suffering much from the change. In fact the preplanning that went into the arrangements to accommodate this was being utilized as standard procedures now.

The newly acquired asset of the EDC was a larger Super Ha'tak, it was too large to man properly with the few crew they had from the SGC. The ship was over double the sized of the standard Goa'uld Ha'taks which measured from 600 to 700 meters across.

Aside from these minor bumps in the efficiency of the work there were some personal issues that were quickly escalating. Several of the personal, both the married and single with active civilian social lives, had become quite edgy with the long interment. Internment was an apt name for the long stay as that was what it felt like for them. It had only been a month and a half before some minor conflicts escalated into minor fights. They were, admittedly by those involved, strictly insignificant issues. It wasn't as though they'd not been good officers or enlisted personnel previously and they were still that on most other aspects of their faintness report or evaluations.

General Hammond approached Jack's office, "Jack?"

It used to be that George would summon subordinates, but the old general was pushing to make Jack a partner in responsibility or an equal for the current billet. If things worked right Jack would be the new commanding officer for the SGC. He'd take over and allow George the freedom to run the EDC on the space front. No doubt there would be things that George would be responsible for within Jack's command but so long as the two billets worked well together they could be thought of as more colleagues than subordinate and superior. It would be step up for his personal command umbrella and they would be testing new waters, or was new vacuum? Hopefully Jack would take his new promotion with dignity instead of envy at not being able to go out into field quite so much.

As far as the higher ups were concerned General Hammond would be in command of the entire EDC which SGC would be under the umbrella for but that was a legal fiction that dismissed the fact that the SGC reported directly to the president whenever emergencies arose which was exactly what the EDC would do. Ironically the oversight seemed to think they were somehow in charge when they were losing power by the SGC and EDC costing less and less of the taxpayer's dollars. Sooner or later the oversight committee would be completely nullified but the EDC would still be beholden to the Office of the President the same as the SGC. That made the two equals on some level in George's mind.

"General?" Jack frowned thinking, _**'If General Hammond needed me he should have called, it would have been a perfect excuse to stretch my legs and get some exercise, god I hate paperwork!'**_

Seeing Jack's unvoiced question George shrugs, "I needed the exercise and space to think. I wanted to let you know that I've called a meeting in three hours. There's quite a bit of stress and lower morale among the people onboard. The outings with the gliders have helped some but even then they can only help so much. I also wanted to ask in private about your clone; we've not had much leave to talk about it, and I don't want to expose it in front of other advisers who may not already know."

"Good thinking sir." He shook his head. "Jon, I suppose I should call him Jack since I know he hates being called Jon, is only hesitant because of Cassandra."

"Frasier?" he asked concerned. Cassandra Frasier was like an additional granddaughter for the general, only she was more aware of his life than his real granddaughters.

"Evidently my younger self wasn't quite as idle as we'd thought." He admitted sheepishly. "There are fourteen kids at his school who have parents working with SGC. I guess that's EDC now. He's basically kept watch over them. None of them except Cassandra know who he is and she only knows because somehow she could tell he was me…"

Jack let that hang in the air for a moment frowning as if he was frowning at the thought given a ghostly form.

Jack shook his head, "Sam didn't go into specifics and I'm not sure if he gave himself away to Cassy or not. He feels that after your dealings with that rogue faction of the NID and your granddaughters that they might just take a hostage the next time they want to interfere."

"That is a valid concern." George sighs and nods. "It might also solve some objections as well. Several of the married folks, if they brought their wives and children onboard we could make good use of some of the expanded areas of the ship that are not nearly as vulnerable. Before we do that I'd like to ask Alexander if they could make a few more Doors that go from the ship to the surface in different areas – a place to evacuate if need be."

Jack lifts an eyebrow. "You should ask Harriet and Allen about it first, I mean before asking them in front of everyone, sir."

General Hammond nods with a smile. Not only was it the source of suggestion but the way Jack recommended it. Jack wasn't exactly subtle when it came to valuable allies and that he thought of ways to avoid pissing them off was a sure sign that he was growing into his new command.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander wasn't having a good day, it wasn't really bad either. He felt as though he was a loose end, or a split end as Cordy might say. It had been decided, and he was unsure by whom – even now, that they should wait a day before they visited Babylon 5. Giles had parked _The Joyce_ at Orbital Four within hours of the Manor's entering the orbit of Epsilon III nearby Babylon 5.

That wasn't so bad, but as he went to go to work, relief flaring in his mind at having a regular set schedule again, he found himself without any work. The normal tasks he'd left Tyler to do were being done and it wasn't like he could tell Tyler, 'I'm back now so go about your normal duties' as these tasks _a__re_ his assigned normal duties.

Xander spent half a day doing nothing and feeling useless. Worse, anytime Xander thought there might be some work he could see to, Tyler took it as a personal challenge to do it first, and as well as, if not even better. And anytime Xander saw a hint of other work to be done the little twerp beat him to it. Mentally he was often calling him little twerp was because Graysons were short only slightly taller than Buffy on average, and Tyler was no exception.

He couldn't really even be upset with Tyler either, as the man looked to him as his personal mentor and friend. Therefore the little twerp felt that the good performance of his duty was a reflection on Xander's teachings. Xander knew this as they'd talked a few times about mentors and social graces. Xander had no wish to discourage the young man so it was with great relief that Giles sent mental word from _The Joyce_.

'_**Xander, I think it would be best if you returned if you can. General Hammond has some requests that I feel are very important and you are the Iris Specialist.'**_

'_**Thanks Giles. I was getting very frustrated today.'**_

'_**What, pray tell, are you frustrated about?'**_

'_**The little twerp Tyler is doing a wonderful job and I am left with nothing productive to do.'**_

Xander could taste the humor from Giles, _**'Truly?'**_

The humor only grew as Giles offers his opinion, _**'It is a testament to your own efficiency and caliber of character that he is doing so well.'**_

'_**Yea well I'm not needed here right now so I'm on way.'**_

"Hey Tyler!" the man turned to him. "It seems you're doing an outstanding job today, and have been while I was away."

He held out his hand and Tyler took it proudly.

"I think I'm going to find something to do on the ship."

Tyler looked a slight bit relieved and Xander knew that the man thought of him as a superior checking up on him and almost winced at the combination of relief and excitement at a job well done.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"General, you wished to see me?"

General Hammond sighs with relief, he wasn't too sure on the mental talk in the head thing which he hadn't really been debriefed on so much as he simply observed it; it was taken as though he was already informed which he didn't want to disabuse them of the notion.

"Yes, Alexander." He nodded and gestures. "Would you like a tour of the ship while we talk?"

Xander was agreeable.

"It has come to my attention that many of our men are missing families. It's started to affect their jobs and general morale. One of the officers that isn't married or with children suggested a course of action that would not have even been looked at if it wasn't for the fact that we're on a rather large Ha'tak. The idea was a full disclosure to the military families and an option of 'base housing' on board the EDC's ship. If it wasn't for the fact that we're only utilizing seven percent of the ship's volume and the rest is just empty space, it would be out the question. Even now I'm hesitant to authorize it. It isn't because of the secrecy issues so much as because if we go into battle we have no way to evacuate the people. I thought of that Doorway you use and was wondering if we could purchase a few and if they would work from the ship to the surface of the Earth."

Xander grins widely. "I could do that, and I could also set it up so that you have a way to destroy them remotely if you need to evacuate in an area that is risking capture."

General Hammond returned Xander's wide grin. "What would be the cost?"

He didn't like the idea of unconditional gifts. He was asking to purchase them and he really wanted to have it be a transaction not a gift.

Xander knew George's thoughts on it. He scratches his chin for a moment in thought before his eyes suddenly lit up, "Are you still working on that longevity serum made from the Dargol Pesticide?"

The only reason Xander recalled the name was because he'd unconsciously pulled its name from the general's mind, not that he realized that. The General was smiling at the thought of the youth drug and nods to the visitor.

"Then the research you've done on that would be fine. Actually that brings me to something additional you might be interested in. I was thinking of a technology transfer. By that I mean make sure that the tech we have and what you have is up to the same level. There is quite a bit of technology that Egeria secured from her world, much more than we'd first realized. I take it now that most Goa'uld didn't really centralize their databases and she had been. Not that she told us."

He scowled playfully and George was hard pressed not to laugh but he did smile at the gesture.

Xander shrugs, "Anyway there's that and its stored in both English and the native tongues. She's been slowly adding the accumulated data we've collected from the different realms. We've centralized all of the information we've learned. There are differences and I think that most of the Goa'uld technology you are likely to have, or could easily learn, but here there is several thousand years of other races that developed on their own. What I propose is that I'll send over a copy of the database, and any technology you've studied which isn't in there can be transferred to us to help us fill in the blanks. Also I'm not sure how your translation programs work but any Goa'uld information you add to the database will automatically be translated."

The offer surprises General Hammond, though he knew it shouldn't have, he can only nod his agreement at the offer, "That's agreeable and it also helps us as we haven't centralized all the information on technology we've acquired."

'_**Though,'**_ George thought, _**'with the information that's already on this ship's database we might actually have quite a bit of information centralized that he doesn't.'**_

Xander picks up on the thoughts. "Egeria spends quite the time working on the central database for some reason or another. Cordy, Wills, and Dawn are all working on keeping it up to date and cross referenced as well. They'll be loads of more primitive technological information on there that hasn't yet been catalogued; well at least primitive to the advanced tech you've been exposed to at the SGC."

George suddenly thought, _**'This deal is going to be much more beneficial to Earth than it is to Alexander's group but that's not a reason to protest. I'll just make sure that any consolidated information is as up to date as possible and include any added theories our scientists come up with.'**_

Xander smiles widely at the thought he'd picked up. _**'Sometimes encouraging people to put their best forward is almost an art form.'**_

"I already have a few Irises made."

The sudden shift of topics threw him and he asks, "Irises?" George was thinking of the cover on the stargate.

"The portal Doorways" he pulled out a disk that was almost the size of a Frisbee and pulled on the sides. "See here, once it gets to the right size, it opens the portal. These are like two way Stargates but…" he paused, thinking of the best way to word his explanation.

"You know the Stargates are two ways. I mean you can use radios to call back and forth thru an open gate. The reason you see stars and such when it's traveled is because you're getting routed and rerouted about in the network as you're pulled towards the target gate."

George hadn't known that or maybe he just hadn't realized that. "I wasn't aware of the particulars. So this is like a small version of the Stargate?"

Xander nods. "But it only has two connections so the transport is instant when you go thru. You aren't actually transferring your mind, soul, and flesh into energy and having it pulled thru the network." He shivered a bit. "This is basically opening folded space between two points. When you are still within the same major gravity well, you are easily able to do this without any added energy requirements. It means that this one will work within the solar system easily and so long as you are within about two hundred light years, you'll be fine. If you are further out or on another arm of the Milky Way, it might destabilize for a time between transports."

With good humor Xander shares, "There is a math involved, the time-verses-mass-verses-distance and the amount of energy that is laying in wait in the individual pair of Irises, but it hasn't been broken down yet and the variables, according to Wills they are entirely too analogue. The rule of thumb is that if you can see the other side you can go. If it's foggy before you go it might be rougher in that you might feel you're stepping thru a river fighting the current. The foggier it is the stronger the current."

Xander shrugs. "Hell it might even be currents that are affecting it, you know gravimetric currents out there?" He gestures. "We just don't know and there are too many variables to worry about but for what you're asking there shouldn't be any problem. We don't have Stargates in any of the other realms we're in so you might actually have the means to test a few of them."

"I see." George wasn't sure if he'd suggest testing out the limits or not, he'd leave it in the techs hands as they likely would but in their own time. "Do these not use any outside power sources, like the stargates?"

"No they don't, but then again the gate system is a network not a simple fold. I mean, you fold your uniform and iron it; the crease is easily established, but wad it up and try to turn all those folds into the creases, and that is the difference on a physical level."

Looking at the iris he asks rhetorically, "How did you ever come up with this?"

"You are aware that I've special talents with energy manipulation?"

George looked up and nodded, he wasn't fully briefed on him but there were enough hints to understand some things. Most of that came however from personal observation or the observation of his staff and he'd made a point not to ask too many pointed questions from the two ambassadors.

"The first one was made from a doorway that was ripped off a closet. The energy formation was very complex but once it was established when dealing with dimensional travel it was easily maintained. The energy between dimensions and the lack of any actual distance in real space made it very easy to use." He shrugged. "The issues came when I recently made a trip to Manticore and the Doorway in my apartment on Grayson started to gray out a bit. I worked on it during the trip there. I think it fabricated out nicely. These are almost easier to make using the replicator, but they take some time. The energy requirements to make them are much less costly when you have several Naquadah augmented reactors."

'_**Not to mention magical generators!'**_

"I already have a half a dozen mated Iris and base pairs set up. The control will need to be in a secure area and we need to key in the people or person responsible for their destruction if the need arises."

George smiles at Xander thinking, _**'It's coming together nicely.'**_

George changes the subject a bit, "When we get done setting up the Irises I believe the younger Jack might come to you… if it's alright. Evidently he has taken it upon himself to keep guard on the children of the people under my command." He shook his head in exasperation and pride. "I doubt he would have said a word about it if he'd not been asked if he wanted to go."

Xander grins widely at the familiar strategy. "The older Jack seems like a good man, so I don't doubt it."

That 'night' Xander would go to bed with a sense of accomplishment; he'd visit Babylon 5 when he got up.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander had stuck his head thru the Iris a number of times after he'd woken up not wanting to actually step thru until he spotted Garibaldi. When he spotted the chief he smiled widely. "Hey" he said thru the Iris before stepping thru.

"Xander?" he was surprised to see the young man arrive. "You pick a hell of a time to come over; the Centauri Emperor is arriving in the morning, six hours from now. He's giving some kind of speech! I'm going to be busy all night."

'_**So it's night here now. No wonder he wasn't here earlier, I guess the offsetting of the day to day hours isn't something we've really looked at. I should get a clock for each of the calendars.'**_

"Really" he sighs then offers, "Need any help? I don't know much about your station but having a fresh point a view…"

"Sure" he smiled, "why not, I'm heading out now."

Xander nodded and followed the chief out.

A gawky mans with a boyish innocence about spots the two of them, "Chief?"

"Xander, this is Zack. Zack, this is Xander, from the Manor."

Quizzically he asks, "I thought you were coming yesterday?"

Xander shrugs. "I didn't know we were getting back to where we were when I made those arrangements. I figured that Michael might like a day to make sure the station didn't suddenly sprout arms and start grabbing ships." He smirked.

Michael pales, "Oh no, you don't think that would happen do you?"

Zack may have been wrong but he was sure there was a peculiar seriousness about the chief's question that wouldn't have been there a week ago.

Xander was amused at the thoughts fluttering in Michael's head, a transformer cartoon with Babylon 5 as a transformer was quite funny, "No, dude!"

After Michael sighs Xander adds with a deadpan "I was saying that you needed to make sure nothing strange and unforeseen had happened."

Ignoring the jibe he gets down to business, "We're going to do a walk thru. Zack, tell me everything that the Captain's set up."

Zack Allen nodded once but glanced at Xander.

"Don't mind me. I'm just offering a fresh outlook. I don't do much in the way of political security."

Michael laughs. "No you just rush after girls fighting monsters with mêlée weapons."

"Hey," Xanders voice took on a plaintive defensiveness to it, "I had a couple Zats too."

"Yea I was meaning to ask; what the hell is that funky thing anyway?"

"A Zat, it's actually called a Zat'nik'tel. Believe it not, it was from Earth's prior human population, the last dawning of mankind before they were whipped out by either plague or ascended. But that was quite a while ago. They left bits of tech all around and a race visiting Earth about three thousand BC used them to pretend to be the gods of ancient Egypt."

"Good god" Zack muttered in shock, "are you serious?"

Garibaldi groans knowing the response Zack's question was going to illicit.

"No, I'm Xander. I thought we were already introduced. Zack right, Sirius is still at the Manor."

Michael glares at him without any heat. "I got enough of the serious-Sirius jokes from the ole dog; I don't need them from you too."

Zack realized that Xander had averted the attention from the subject but decided to let it go. He'd asked the Chief later.

"As far as the Zats, they are weapons but they're also stun guns with the first shot. They have no lasting or long term effects for that first shot but the second shot kills and the third shot disintegrates the excited electrons. It literally rips apart the electrons on a molecular level – so long as the last two shots are still active in the electrons of the target. That means that a bottle of water it would work on, but a swimming pool, no go at all, won't even stun the fish… for the most part."

Michael nods. "I talked to the Captain; he and Commander Ivanova both want to meet you and maybe, if it's possible, visit the Manor."

"Sure, if the wards will let them. It's as good of a test as any to see if they have in ill intent to harm us, they won't be able to get thru if they do."

Zack wondered silently what wards were, he put it off and started to detail out the security, "Here's where Emperor Turhan will make his speech. We plan on having him come thru here. The guests will be…"

Both Xander and Garibaldi were glancing around. Garibaldi had looked at several things and they'd tried to nag at him but he was usually too paranoid as is so wasn't quite listening to his mind point them out.

Xander however had picked up on them as well. "Do you have anyone assigned there and there, oh and there?"

Zack looked about and seems confused. "Huh?"

Michael picked up on the commonality of the locations right away. "Sniper locations" he muttered more to himself then Zack. "They aren't covered visibly by any from the security stations. I'll have someone moved to make sure they can be seen."

"Or that one there… it's easily spotted by the other two locations, and if you put a sniper there with a stun rifle you can knock out anyone in the other two locations, or if someone in the crowd grows bold enough to attack directly."

Zack looked impressed and Garibaldi winced and nodded.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander had just left and Zack turns to Chief Garibaldi, "Who is that kid?"

Michael invited him over to be there to meet the Emperor when he arrived and Xander asked if Egeria and Cordelia could come as well.

"He's someone that was pulled from Earth in the 1990's by means that I doubt even the Vorlon completely understand, and then adding to that he managed not only to survive in hyperspace, but I'd say they thrived."

"He gives me the creeps."

Curiously, and unwilling to set aside intuition with his new understanding of magic, the Chief asks, "Really?"

Zack sighs defeated before shaking his head. "No, I wish he did though because quite frankly I think it would make me a bit less afraid of him."

Garibaldi actually laughs at that. "He's going to bring some of his girls and I want to introduce them to the Captain before the Emperor arrives. Do you know if G'Kar is still on his rag about the Emperor's visit?"

Zack shrugs, "I don't know to be honest."

"I'll ask the captain."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Cordelia had her hands on her hips as she stared down the man she called privately her husband, "So you want us to go meet this Emperor of some alien people, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt?"

Xander sighs before giving a petulant whine, "No, I suppose not."

Cordelia smiles widely in victory before licking her lips, "Good, I have a dress already laid out and Egeria is looking forward to her first real chance to dress up and go out."

He nods. "I know we're not expecting trouble but make sure she has a hand device. They're good at looking like jewelry."

Cordy agrees with a beatific smile. The leather straps that Xander had worked on as necklaces were a bit more bulky than she'd liked and she's spent quite a few weeks working on making an elegant and handsome set to wear out on the town or to a fancy ball.

"What is this?" Xander asked gesturing to the artwork on the clothing she'd handed him to wear that evening, or morning, on Babylon 5.

"This is the Clan symbol for Kalderash, and this is what Willow said is the coat of arms for LeVelle. Janna and Joyce worked on putting together a coat of arms type of thing for our little family. Giles added this bit here as the only unique part of the Giles coat of arms. The blooded sword is Buffy's input that the other Buffy and the Dawns approved of."

He looked shocked but pleased and nodded it flowed almost like a rune itself and he was pleased with it.

"Are Kendra and the others sure they don't want to go?"

She smiles at his concern. "Dawn might if she wasn't busy with prenatal care."

Xander got a very flustered look on his face at Cordy's last two words. Seeing the look Cordelia smirks at him.

He starts, "She's not…?"

He'd forgotten that they'd all taken implants on Beowulf that should last five years and help with women's PMS and monthly cycles.

Her smirk grew a bit more. "Amanda's child is likely to be ready early, something about the cells reproducing at an accelerated rate."

"Oh…" he sighed with a relief. "So it should be when exactly?"

"She thinks the little baby boy is already somewhat aware of his surroundings, like a newborn, but she's also being extra careful because he's her first delivery. It should be around the middle to end of next month, Sunnydale time; so less than sixty days."

He nods and smiles before softly asking her, "Have you thought of having a child together?"

She looked shocked at his question before smiling and softly admitting with a shrug. "I've thought of it. I know I've had quite a bit of fun with little Eric."

She smiles mischievously. "He is such a sweetheart, but I think we'll wait at least until he's about ten so before the time is right for us to have little ones. That way when they're four or five he'll be old enough to baby sit."

Xander grins moving his head in agreement. "It will give me time to prepare to be a father at least; do you know if the others are…?"

She bit her lip softly which only served to turn Xander on, "I think Dawn would love a child of her own and soon." She said with surety, "I'm not sure Buffy and Angel can have one together but I think they might be trying. Janna, well, according to her, Giles would love a little tweed junior; in fact the other Giles has already spoken with our Giles but hasn't talked to Janna about if she would mind too terribly if he was to have a child of theirs tubed. He knows she isn't the same Janna he was with but they should have close or the same genetics and, well with _Prolong_ and the information packet Allen and Harriet sent us about the pesticide, I don't doubt he can look forward to a long life. Even if there is a small chance he might want someone else as the mother, the chance is fleeting."

"I see" he paused considering the break down of the manor's people. He didn't miss that she'd not talked about Nancy or Auror, thankfully. "I was mostly concerned with Kendra, you, Willow, Dawn, and Dawnie by the looks she's been giving me." He sighed. "I don't know what I did to deserve you girls, but I don't know if it's a good or bad thing I did, because I can just picture you all pregnant and wanting to carry the child to term at the same exact time."

He realized now he was sounding slightly whiney.

Cordy was giggling before she nods. "I could so picture that. I'll share the idea with the other girls."

He looked shocked and had a dreadful look on his face. He knew she was only half joking about sharing that so changes the subject, "We should get ready, I want to meet the captain and his XO before things get started."

She sighed and leaned over and kissed him softly.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander stepped thru first, then held out a hand as first Cordelia and then Egeria stepped thru. "Girls, I don't think Mr. Garibaldi is quite ready yet." He smirked at the door as it opened; Michael was slipping on his shirt and almost froze.

"I'm going to have to put some kind of bell on that thing to let me know when you arrive."

Xander smirks. "That is a good idea. I don't know why I didn't think of adding it."

"No" Cordy said firmly. "You can add one to this side of this Iris. I'll not have you waking Eric every time you step thru that thing." There was a protective half snarl like a mother lion added to her words.

Michael laughs. "I'm almost ready. You both look nice this morning."

"Thank you" she smiled widely. Egeria curtsied the way Hermione had shown her was proper.

They were both dressed in very nice, long dresses with heals and both had on jewelry, though it was different. Xander was dressed in a sports jacket with a black tie and white shirt. His looked nice but it also looked like he'd worn it enough that it felt natural instead of dressing up.

"Alright I'm ready. I think the captain and commander want to talk to you before the reception."

"Sure, lead the way, Michael."

He noticed before the kid had a way about him that was full of heart, personable, and saw solutions easily. "Are you three planning to stay the day as well?" he asked as they started down the hall.

Egeria was actually at his elbow as Cordy was at Xander's.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"Captain Sheridan, this is Xander LeVelle, Cordelia and Egeria; this is Captain Sheridan. Now if you'll excuse me, I see someone I'd like to talk to."

He'd spotted the Narn ambassador near the opening of the area the emperor would go thru once he arrived at the reception.

Xander glanced a look at the direction and made a mental note to be nearby him when the emperor arrived; it was best to handle assassinations that were just with all due diligence, rather than in the spotlight with verifiable targets. He could feel, just by the light mental touch, the warrior-politician that Michael was approaching was an honorable and just man that didn't like the idea of having to kill anyone, but he would in order to deal with a monster for either justice or prevention of future atrocities.

"I'm told I have you to thank for returning my wayward security chief." He had some humor in his voice.

It was eerie to Xander how much the captain of Babylon 5 looked like the spy on that TV series he'd watched a few of with Willow. It wasn't just his looks it was his voice. Bruce Boxleitner – that was the name of the actor that played the Scarecrow on Scarecrow and Mrs. King.

Falling into a mental routine of talking to a superior officer he tells him, "It wasn't much of a bother, sir."

"Sir" he said softly with a smile. "I'm not your commanding officer son. Just call me John." He held out a hand.

"John" Xander said instantly and smiled. "And call me Xander."

"Unless you're pissed at him," said Cordy, "then you can use the full name, Alexander LeVelle Kalderash."

"Kalderash?" it wasn't the last name Michael had used.

"It's a clan name, whereas LeVelle is a family name. It would actually be Alexander LeVelle of the Kalderash."

Seeing the look Xander explains, "Have you ever heard of the Romany, gypsies?"

He nods and admits, "I've seen a few vids about them, stories that had them in it; wanderers that have a wide variety of skills and a penchant for family?"

There had been a tone of uncertainty asking for confirmation in his voice.

"Yea, that's about right. But back on Earth they were discriminated against for a very long time. I mean to the point that they sterilized their women, sold them into slavery after slavery was outlawed in every recognized country on the planet, and even had laws that were specific to them for enforcement."

Sheridan widened his eyes, he'd not heard about that. "I suppose there's quite a bit about our past that was lost in the sands of time. I wouldn't mind finding out what else was different about our home worlds."

Xander grinned and nodded, and that was the start of a half an hour talk that discussed everything from entertainment to war. The wars he'd recalled from history of his Earth were similar to John's and so too was it similar to Sunnydale and even SGC and Hogwarts' world.

That was when a very haggard looking woman showed up in the observation deck.

"Susan Ivanova, Commander this is Xander LeVelle."

Xander was shocked to feel walls in her mind… walls that shifted as she straightened herself out and held out a hand.

"Charmed" he said bent her hand kissing the back of it with a dry peck.

He smiled widely as she flustered in her head, just a bit.

"Um…" she managed. "It's good to meet you Mr. LeVelle."

He sniffed theatrically. "You can call me Xander, unless you're really upset with me."

Cordelia was smiling widely. Ivanova was hot and she was definitely picking up the attraction to females. Xander tended to ignore things like that on a personal level but Cordelia could taste them without actually trying.

"Very well, and thank you for returning our Security Chief – he was needed."

He smiled and glanced at the few changes he'd made following either his own thoughts or Xander's advice the night before. "Indeed."

John flushed a bit as he spotted the slight alterations that had been made to the security set up. He somehow knew that Xander was aware of what Garibaldi had changed. He didn't say a word.

Cordy smacks Xander's shoulder and smirks. "Behave!"

Ivanova laughed before she covered her mouth.

"It looks like there's quite a crowed," Cordelia said looking over at the people that would gather on the Emperor's tour. "Is this about average or is it only because of who he is?"

Susan Ivanova looked around with an evaluating glance. "I would say that for many things, special occasions, this is about normal. I've seen a few occasions that it was a bit more packed but usually those occasions need less security."

She shook her head and glanced at the only Narn in the audience. No doubt every Narn on the station and nearby was watching the news casters that were to record the event.

"I think we're going to mingle a bit" Cordelia said. "Well I am at least" she leans over and kissed Xander on the cheek and told him firmly, "You behave yourself!"

She walked off and started talking to a strange alien.

"Is she always like that?" John asked.

Susan raised an eyebrow.

Xander nods, "Mostly! She's never one for subtlety, unless she sees it as needed, which precludes family and friends. At least at first it does."

He raised an evaluating eyebrow at the girl that was talking to a rather stiff up-tight Centauri that was there to greet the emperor on his tour of Babylon 5. "I see."

Susan looked but was confused, not that it was expressed on her face.

Xander took pity on her and cleared up her confusion, "She has her roots in an aristocratic home life. She can be a stone cold bitch if she wants to be, and is observant enough to know by fashion, attitude, and posture who is who in the hierarchy of things. Granted, alien life will have a slight disadvantage but she'll learn quickly and improvise. With the family she doesn't need to do that, she has no reason to compete with us."

Susan nods slowly understanding what he was saying and what her captain had just observed.

AN: Anyone interested in trying to draw out the Scooby Coat of Arms on his clothing? Feel free to send me a P-M if you want, for that or anything else. I'll post them on Twisting the Hellmouth or the first one and leave it open to others to add to it.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4


	4. Chapter 4

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Chapter 4: Emperor Hearts and Healing

cj_cold is a beta for this chapter

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The Emperor's vessel, _The Tuscano _docks at the assigned bay. As Emperor Turhan arrives thru the secured customs area he finds a group awaiting him and offers his hand in greeting and smiles at the welcoming committee.

The Captain, John, takes the hand and shakes it with a smile of his own, "Let me first welcome you to Babylon 5. This is my second in command Commander Ivanova, this Xander, another friend that is new to the station."

Emperor Turhan nods. "Oh yes. I was informed that you were here. You are from that plot of land just over yonder?" He gestured vaguely.

Xander smiles at the Emperor, giving his half bow half nod of agreement.

John pushes on, "Why don't we go on with the tour. I'm sure there are plenty of places you wish to see."

During the tour the Emperor hesitated at the area he knew the Vorlon ambassador lived, he wanted to see the Ambassador but with a third party present he was unsure if it was worth the risk that it might divulge something he didn't want to hear, that he was ashamed of. It was concerning things he didn't wish to air it in public. The tour of the station was quite interesting but the station areas needed to be secured beforehand. That meant that while the Emperor was there he was disrupting the general atmosphere of the station which is something he wanted to experience. Needless to say the visits to the common areas were quite short.

In the garden area that could easily be secured without businesses loosing money the Emperor inquires to the captain, "Tell me Captain, how was it that you came to be a soldier, why did you join EarthForce?"

Sheridan shrugs, "It was a personal choice. I joined before the draft was instated for the for the Earth-Minbari war, I joined before the war even started." There was a note of regret and sadness at the needless loss of life.

Emperor Turhan's voice was filled with contemplation, "I often wonder what I would have done if I was given a choice in the matter. We all choose our paths, I think, but sometimes I wonder if I could have chosen a different path or if the one I chose already is locked into my destiny."

"My father taught me to live each second as though it were the last moment of my life," John told him softly. "If you love, love without reservation. If you fight, fight without fear. He called it the way of the warrior."

John paused to let his father's wise council sink in. With a shrug he tells him "I think I agree with that. I've felt fear; sometimes you can't control that, but if you let the fear take hold it will never let you go."

The Emperor nodded as they left the observation area towards the reception. There were few news cameras right now, but they had the setup to broadcast live during the speech. Right now the only live feeds were on the station or surrounding ships.

Xander decided that Emperor Turhan was good people, he might not have always been, but at least now he was. He didn't suffer from guilt so much as an uprising of shame and desire to assert his authority to remove the dark spot on his family honor. Xander knew right away that he'd known of the horrors of the Narn Occupation and had at times seen them but had never approved of it. Now since he was dieing he wanted to do something he would be able to point at and say, 'I did this. I'm proud of it.'

It made his desire to be near G'Kar during his attempt all the more pressing.

"Turhan…" Emperor Turhan insisted on his name being used instead of his title when he and Xander talked during the tour. "This is one of my better halves, Cordelia, this is Emperor Turhan."

He smiled at her after gesturing to the Emperor. "Turhan was just filling me in one the structure of his people's legislators. They're a republic empire, so they have noble houses that are old money and sometimes archaic ideals while the Great houses are something of a middle class and have many that sit in the Centaurum an equivalent to a house of lords. The lesser house are the service classes and worker bees. Most of the lesser classes align to a noble house of some sort but the lesser and great houses have the Populum which governs them for the most part while the Centaurum set the laws and such. The Centaurum are called what was it?"

Turhan smiles at the young man, "They are called Legators and the Populum is run by Vocators."

Xander smiled at the emperor. "I was comparing it to some of the governing done on Earth in the past and the closest I think I can recall is something akin of a mix of the Senators and Congressmen of the United States but with a Roman twist on the methodology. It's been a long time since I had a need to remember anything from the Roman rule so I could be wrong. From what you tell me Turhan it sounds like the way you have the Checks and Balance is a bit more balanced than anything they had back on Earth."

Cordelia couldn't help but feel surprised at the interest Xander had for the structure of his government when he usually disliked politics to an extreme, she couldn't help but voice a shocked curious, "Really?"

The emperor nods and she held out her hand which he shakes per human custom. She smiles kindly and moves to his side taking the shook hand and folding it into her arm in a familial gesture that showed affection.

"I have read about some societies and their House of Lords. Usually they were monarchs who dealt with the lord types. I suppose they are somewhat like the senators or congressmen; do they make you life hell?" She had a twinkle in her eye, knowing that they had given him grief.

The guards had stiffened the moment she'd touched his arm but with a glance at the mouth-veiled telepaths had them hesitate. The eyes, they showed the Emperor's amusement and joy at the familial touch. Such joy hadn't passed the Emperor's mind since his son's death. The Emperor was sure his heir was murdered, regardless of the presented evidence of an accident. The accident was still a matter of much debate with his security.

Feeling refreshed he nods. "They do." He placed his hand gently overtop of Cordelia's. "Tell me child, have you always been so blunt?"

Cordy smiled radiantly and nodded elegantly.

Xander was letting her work; the Emperor had felt refreshed from her words and recharged somehow.

As the Emperor, the telepaths, and guards approached the entryway to where he's to give his speech, Xander notices that G'Kar is nearby and has his hand on a knife. He wasn't the only one to notice even if G'Kar hadn't yet pulled it out.

As Turhan enters the main area, the spotlight shines on him and he grabs his chest, his face contorting with pain as he starts to collapse. Xander's mind right away reaches out to Egeria who is near the front. He and one of the guards gently place the collapsing Emperor onto the deck.

"Is he…" he asks as he touches the neck feeling the erratic pulse, well two of them really, as he has two hearts, though it was only his instinctual mental grasp of that fact that told him it was wrong. Noticing that Egeria was halted he commands, "Let her through!" The order echoed in their minds but didn't automatically supersede their control even if it was a very commanding presence.

The guard obeyed before he even realized that the order giver was human.

Xander nods to Egeria as she starts to check him with her hand device, she took it as instructions to tell him what was wrong, "His heart, the left one has been significantly damaged."

Xander glances at the crowd and realizes that as they were swarming them so closely the cameras couldn't see them clearly. With soft tones and a slight need to his voice he tells her, "Do what you can, Egeria."

Xander knew this man was needed but couldn't understand even in his one mind why, just that this man needed to do what he had set out to do and if Xander or his people could help than they should.

Egeria gives him an almost imperceptive nod. "I've repaired some of the tissue around the heart; I've regulated the flow of blood to the left ventricular of the left heart…" Thankful that she had her leather strap with runes on them she focused and sent, _**'Xander, there is a foreign substance in his blood that is causing the heart failure. Should I remove it? I don't know what the substance is but I cannot see that it would be at all traceable.'**_

He nodded.

"He should be coming round anytime, now." Egeria shared with the crowd.

The telepaths were sighing with relief. They didn't miss the mental conversation though it was very strange. They would talk to their Emperor about it later.

The Emperor almost comically asks, "Have I died?" while looking into the human face.

Egeria smiles and shakes her head telling him, "Your heart was damaged. I have repaired it."

He started to sit up and then to stand but she glared at him like a petulant child. "You are in no condition to exert yourself." She didn't add the 'young man' that he'd almost expected.

With some amusement Xander says, "Allow me to introduce you to another of our family, Turhan; this is Egeria."

Xander smirks, just a bit. Egeria flushes but she still insists, "You need rest."

Turhan nods. "I need to deliver my message first." He remains seated on the floor. "I'm sure you are all wondering why I came here when I am not in the best of health. I have come to Babylon 5 to firmly support the station and its endeavors. Peace," he paused heartfelt and his words are almost like he's quoting someone or something, "there is a time for war and there is a time for peace. Often, all too often, a war breaks out when it is a time for peace."

He looked extremely sad as he looked directly at the Narn, G'Kar. "My people, we were wrong. The hatred between our people can never end until someone is willing to say, I'm sorry. I wish to try to find a way to make things right again, to atone for my peoples' past actions."

He looked at the others. "We have wronged the Narn. I come here to offer my humble apologies to the Narn people, that they might have a chance to heal from the damage that my people have caused them."

G'Kar felt as though the knife which had previously been in his hand had been thrust into his heart at that moment before he nodded and the knife was forgotten completely with its purpose.

"I think that is all I'm going to say for now. But I would hope, so long as I am able" he offers to the Narn before he glancing at the human girl who healed his heart so effectively, "to have you dine with me tonight."

G'Kar nods once again in acceptance.

Turning to Xander and Egeria "And you as well? You and your family are welcome."

"Coming thru" the sound of Dr. Franklin's voice came in. He froze as he realized the Centauri was sitting and looked well. His look demanded answers but he glanced at the cameras and almost sighed that he wasn't going to demand them on camera.

"Let's get him to MedLab."

He was manhandled much to his amused embarrassment, but he didn't mind, he felt healed; in more ways then one.

After his Emperor's speech there was no way Londo was going to give his planned speech. It wouldn't be at all popular and would show weakness. He left to speak to Refa; he would have to find out what else the man had planned. He knew the signs of a heart attack, and with two hearts it usually took time to die, but the fact was that afterwards he looked as though he had slipped on a Raleigh Peal instead of having a heart attack. Londo Mollari had seen the handheld item that the girl had in her hand she'd used to heal him. It was obvious by her tone that she was in the Emperor's trusted circle. That and the guards wouldn't have let her in otherwise and this was the first time he'd seen her or the male that was by the Emperor's side.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

As Xander follows Egeria with Cordy on his arm, Michael was walking on his other side. Xander notices that they are being followed and instinctually peruses the man's intent.

Tapping the chief on the shoulder with a raised eyebrow, "Michael," he gestures, "someone to see you covertly, has some kind of message and secrecy is important. You might want to see him before he inadvertently attracts unwanted attention. He's not at all hostile… to you." He added that last bit as he did feel a very controlled violence about the man.

Garibaldi lifts an eyebrow before he veers off down a hallway allowing his presence to be isolated from others. Just as the chief thought the messenger man approached quietly.

From the shadows unseen Michael asks him, "You have something for me?"

"I'm…" he stuttered then sighs, looking chagrin. "I have a message for you."

He hands the chief a chip. Michael raises an eyebrow as he takes it, "Is that all?"

The ranger nodded and then fled at Garibaldi's gesture taking it to mean he was 'free to go'.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Prior to the Emperor's arrival on Babylon 5, Lord Refa and Londo had talked about the political fall out of what the Emperor could do or say. They both knew that the opposition was seeking out power and they both knew they would have to exert some influence to interfere with that. This was a given, it was only the method of the madness that was being worked out.

Lord Refa had found it was quite easy to manipulate Londo Mollari into doing his bidding. All it took was a slight suggestion here and a compulsion there done by experienced telepaths; well experienced telepaths that were already on the payroll and well paid by his house.

The ever gullible Londo Mollari was willing to believe anything, including the belief that the long term plans Lord Refa had put into motion years ago were his fresh ideas and inner brilliance. It was quite easy for the telepaths to ensure certain ideas would naturally pop up and when they did certain locations, actions, and beliefs would seem to hold more significance or preference to others.

Lord Refa was not so crass as to completely insert his own ideas into another's mind, which was also far too traceable when you had the money or were exposed to telepaths frequently. It would also demean the game, this was a game of wits and misdirection and he'd enjoyed playing it far longer than Londo had even thought to take a hand in political maneuvering.

Ever sense the 'tragic' death of Turhan's heir, Lord Refa had used subtly and had Londo as quite the little puppet. Regardless he had underestimated Londo's abilities and resources and was silently worried that he'd created a monster but as long as he used those resources for the purposes Lord Refa had 'suggested' then it would not be an issue. He hoped he would not need the resources that he used to end the current Emperor's son to end the Ambassador's life as well but it was an option if he became too much of a thorn.

It was quite shocking, and in some ways pleasantly so, when he'd pulled off the attack on the Narn outpost in Quadrant 37 - Sector 158. He'd eliminated the Narn influence in the entire sector without a single Centauri asset. He'd had the men ready to go at Londo's 'recommendation' and maybe even some of Londo's cash, but it had not been needed and better yet the former neutral territory was now completely Centauri's, undisputed.

Lord Refa had other things to do while the Emperor was away from Centauri Prime. Things to prepare that the Emperor could easily counter if he was not on Babylon 5. That didn't make Lord Refa completely ignorant of the events taking place in the Emperor's presence on Babylon 5. He was unsure on Londo's reasons for backing out of the agreement he'd made to speak out against the Emperor's statement and plans. In Lord Refa's mind the reasoning was not of concern only that Longo had failed to speak out against whatever concessions the Emperor was planning. It also meant that his leash controlling Londo had slipped and the man would no doubt buck any 'suggestion' he might make in the future.

Lord Refa considered that he would have to deal with the loose end another time, but first he needed to act on what he had hoped his suggestion to Londo would accomplish.

If the informant had not just been paid but liked or believed in Lord Refa's position he would have shared more information which would have likely delayed or halted Refa's next course of actions but all was for naught.

Lord Refa was sure he would have to ensure the Centauri were seen in an assertive role in taking back what was theirs and striking back at the Narn. He was sure if he could gain enough ground it would ensure that the other lords in the Centaurum would support him in his role as the new Emperor and he would ascend into godhood with how great he would make the Centauri people. He was now smiling as he arranged every favor he could think of to enlarge his fleet and moved into the 157th sector, the 14th quadrant.

No doubt he would have to instruct the assassin he had on retainer to end his target before he returned. It wouldn't do well to have the prime minister raising the red flag, as it was truly Malachi who had the authority over military manors. Of course if he was dead, he would not be able to claim it was not officially sanctioned and of course the victory would be squarely on Lord Refa's shoulders.

Thinking on the Prime Minister Malachi he inevitably thought of the Emperor and snorted. _**'If the idiot wasn't so damn stubborn he would have been very easy to control and that damn son of his was no better before I had him dealt with.'**_

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

It was about three hours after the Emperor had collapsed from the heart attack; the MedLab was quiet.

Doctor Franklin's voice carried with his frustration, "How exactly did you help his heart? I can't see anything wrong with either one of them."

The Emperor looks amused and Egeria shifts a bit, "I have a hand healing device that my… species is able to utilize."

He looks up at her confused. "I thought you were human?"

Xander took pity on her and answered for her, she wasn't quite comfortable with outsiders the way she was with family, "She has a symbiote in her that allows her to utilize a number of tools, as would any species that was able to blend with her. Tell him what you found." He instructed softly.

"There was a build up in the arteries, a poison that was administered at least two years previous. I don't know what it was called but I dissolved the poison completely before having his heart rebuild itself as well as repaired the damage done by the heart failure to the other organs. They had been slowly overtaxing themselves for a while now."

Turhan paled just a bit at that.

Franklin nods. "I've never come across anything like that. I assume he's, as the reports say, healthy as an ox?"

Turhan smiles at the group but Xander could tell he was worried even before he voices his question. "Do you think that you could tell what the poison was if you were able to—scan it?"

She shrugs. "I could tell you if it was in the body already, but I'm not sure I would be able to if I was to see it in the pre-administered form."

The guards were not pleased, but they had a look of respect in their eyes as they took in the young human looking girl that had saved their Emperor's life.

Franklin sighs at that. "I wish I had a sample of it…"

"No need for you to worry Doctor Franklin. This is something that I will have to deal with, Alana," he called to one of the veiled telepaths, "would you mind terribly if I used your services? Please inform Malachi of the poisoning, and give him an update on my health. Also inform him… I do not believe the timing of the hostility in the Centaurum is a coincidence, nor the hostilities between Narn and our people in Sector 37. Tell him to employ the Centaius Protocols."

She gasps, that was a protocol that every telepath was aware of and shivered at; the Emperor gives her a grave nod and turns to rest in his bed.

Egeria smiles at him, "I think you've rested enough to make sure the healing is done, though you might want to take a hot bath and soak."

Doctor Franklin nods his agreement, "I agree. You are likely more healthy now than you were when you got here."

Turhan's smile at them was one of relief as he asks, "I am free for dinner tonight then?"

Xander's expression held one of mischievousness, "Free food? That's always a plus!"

He earned a shoulder smack from the tall dark haired mate at his side and as was his purpose he garnered a laugh from the Emperor.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

G'Kar was on the private tachyon communication link with his home world's government. It was the Council of Narns that he was a part of, nothing as fancy as the Centaurum but it was a ruling body. "Yes that is exactly what he said, I am… relieved that I had no opportunity to commit the act I had planned. It would have likely ensured an all out war. I am not sure I trust this Centauri but I am willing to sit down after he has… he was sincere and I fear what the outcome would have been if I had killed him or he had died of natural causes."

"I understand." The Narn on the screen looked grieve, "Do you feel that his desire to help with extend to these, shadows you insist attacked the outpost in Quadrant 37, if nothing else to help determine if they are fact or fiction?"

"He might at that, but I do not hold out much hope. The two humans however, the ones that accompanied him today, I wish to find out more about them. They helped to heal the Emperor on the spot and that kind of technology might be a boon. As it isn't related to war I doubt that the Emperor will appose finding it in Narn hands."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"Welcome Ambassador" the Emperor said meaning it as he shook his arm in the elbow high handshake, as was costume. "You know this hand shake is the handshake of equals. It is a showing that there is no weapon on our forearms. A symbol showing we are coming together in open arms."

Xander raised eye eyebrow at this trivia. He and the girls had only left for a short time and they had picked up Dawn, Dawnie, Kendra, and Willow. Egeria had wanted to stay at the Manor but had not wanted to offend the Emperor. G'Kar flushed and Xander smirked, the flush on the dark spots showed slightly different then it did on the human skin but it was there.

Mustering his voice G'Kar offers, "I thank you for the opportunity to make things right."

"Let us sit and eat. We have much to discuss, and let us not make any topic at tonight's table taboo."

G'Kar nods and Xander smiles. He offers a subtle jest, "So no knife in the guts tonight, right?"

G'Kar blinks.

The Emperor laughs before the latter can voice a response, "I had hoped that I lived long enough to at least issue my apology but I half expected it to be thrown in my face with a blade in my gut. My own family has committed grievous and heinous crimes against Narn. It is the nature of war to bring out our dark temperament and everyone has a dark side. Try the Scole; it is an excellent flavor this time of year."

Xander did and then G'Kar followed suit. Xander smiles at the new taste and nods. "I will have to introduce you two to Twinkies."

Willow groans. "Just don't eat them the way you do when…" she stopped and flushed as all eyes were on her. She babbles, "He stuffs them whole into his mouth!" Then she adds insistent, "It's not healthy!"

Cordy giggles as the defensiveness of the redhead.

G'Kar laughs, and the Emperor smiled widely. It had lightened the mood considerably.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

It was after dinner that they broached on a subject that Turhan hoped to help with, "I hope to assist in restoring Narn to its former condition before the occupation." Turhan paused before continuing, "I can not, would not try and say, I can make up for the atrocities, but maybe it is a start."

Xander nods telling them, "We have a bit of information that has been gleaned from different peoples who had issues with strip-mining. It may be of help to the damage the Narn ecosystem has. Egeria research what she could in our files." He hands the Narn a data pad, he'd learned about the occupation of Narn and knew this was one aspect that might help set things to right. Egeria had prepared it for tonight. Xander had only wanted Turhan to make the first move.

"We also considered the lack of stable environment an issue and included the designs for a food processor unit and a number of programs that it runs for different types of foods."

G'Kar was stunned as he looked at the schematics Xander had handed over to him without a cost associated.

"We only ask that you consider the implication of war – the lawlessness and chaos that allows people on both sides moral ambiguity and sets aside the fact that each individual is different regardless of the similarities within the species…" then he adds jokingly "unless you see a species that has some kind of hive mind mentality." For some reason he felt a shiver run up his back.

"These designs are not…" G'Kar stutters, "They are not from EarthForce?"

Xander shook his head. "I might give them to John to put into the station here, but if I do, they are a general tool for the united people not restricted to humans only." He smiled slightly. "From what I can tell everyone here is different in some way. I would hope that it spreads to the different species but the fact is that I'm concerned about what I've heard about EarthForce. Mainly their policies concerning Telepaths, the colony on Mars, and… well, I have issues with a number of their policies that I'll speak with John about before I give up this technology to them at all. I think he'll understand that this is mostly for Babylon 5 and won't know you have the plans for them if you to don't share it."

Turhan smirks "And it is only you that has the plans. Notice that it was not given to me?"

G'Kar looked shocked at those words and the jovial tone they were delivered with.

Xander shrugs. "There is work to be done to the programs inside the pad but the designs are all there, and they aren't compatible with the current computer systems on the station so the work that needs to be done isn't going to be at all simple. The wealth of the Centauri would mean that they would not need them… perhaps after peace has been lasting or the two peoples have united it would be a bargaining chip to help the Narn be seen, at least in the Centaurum, as equals."

Turhan laughs giving his own nod of agreement. "You see the way the Legators are already. You have a head for politics."

He winces and Willow laughs and then eeps as she has more than one eye on her.

"I don't know…" Dawn said; Dawnie was quite as she was just trying to be on her best behavior. This was the first the younger girl had been included in the wives' group and she wasn't going to mess it up. "I think he'd lose his patience and pull an Octavius on them."

Xander raises an eyebrow and asks, "Slaughter the opposition?"

She nods.

He sighs, "She's probably right because the only way they would be so completely in opposition is if they were complete assholes and willing to do things that were criminal at best and monstrous at worst. I get along with even assholes that are just assholes."

Cordy sighs this time. "You know he's absolutely right. I didn't really treat him right up until we were sixteen, and he still didn't hesitate to helping me out."

Willow shrugs. "That's just the way he is."

Dawnie nods, she remembered the why the other Xander was. Although she realized that this Xander was a bit more helpful. _**'This one didn't have the Scoobies dragging him down; instead he had dragged them up.'**_

"I am worried however" Turhan said after a moment of contemplation. "Lord Refa has claimed some responsibility for Quadrant 37 among the other lords but hasn't exerted any influence in the military to secure it. I know I have had his assets watched."

G'Kar was silent as he took that bit of information in.

The Emperor continued in a contemplative tone, "I know that Ambassador Mollari brought it up with the Ambassadors here a number of times and no doubt was getting frustrated with it. I am at a loss as to how we suddenly have claim on it without contest. It is the timing that has me worried more than anything."

"You think that Lord Refa is behind the poisoning then?" Xander asks.

Unable to keep silent any longer G'Kar asks, "Excuse me, Poisoning?"

"Sorry" Xander flushed he'd been so caught up in the 'mystery' that he'd forgotten the company.

Emperor Turhan nods. "Please share with him, but I would appreciate it if this did not reach the others in the Centaurum until we have fully investigated it."

G'Kar gestures agreeably that he would keep it in confidence and away from other Centauri. One of the reasons the Emperor asked rather than shared was because, the details gave away things he was sure were secret, and they weren't his.

Xander shares, "There was a poison that was untraceable with current level of tech available on Centauri Prime. We have a healing device that only Egeria can use… well two others that we know of can use it but they don't have instinctual understanding that is needed to have used on that level. They'd need to spend decades using it, if not centuries before they could have healed him."

G'Kar turned and looked at her appraisingly, Egeria blushed slightly.

"The device allowed Egeria to know what was damaged and how it was damaged. She was able to trace the damage and found a poison introduced years ago. The way it works, there is no doubt that the time table allowing the demise of the target to be time specific. I would assume that it was done purposely, and if it was done at a specific moment and by someone with significant military-pull who was attempting to gain favor…?" he shrugged.

G'Kar nods. "A coup d'état as you humans call it. I wonder if the assassination of the last President of EarthForce is something similar."

Xander frowned as shivers ran up his spin and simply said, "Interesting question."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

To G'Kar, the dinner let him know many things. First it was not a single person that would cause war but a number of people, and he was sure the Emperor was attempting to rein his people in at that front. He'd have to inform the others of his government of the idea that the Centauri were not as united as they would leave others to believe.

Looking down G'Kar marvels at the pad in his hands. He was sending it to Narn that night, after he read it. The password on it to erase was _**Narn Rules All**_, and the password to open it is _**Narn Needs Help**_.

It was a precaution and told only to G'Kar not that the human didn't trust the Emperor but he felt that it needed _operational security_. G'Kar liked that phrase right now and he was willing to keep this, under his hat, as the humans say. The idea of food being produced in such a fashion was shocking and he was surprised that the Emperor was not offended at the lack of equality until he realized that the Emperor saw this as a way to curtail the Centaurum's more aggressive actions and he himself had survived at least two assassination attempts that he was sure were done by others in his own government.

He sees Mollari and smiles widely. "Let me buy you a drink, Londo!"

He had a feeling that things were about to change.

Londo was worried, not that he had much to be worried about. He had used Morden and his associates to kill the Narn Warriors in Quadrant 37 at the close of this past human's calendar year. He might have used them again if it was not for the Emperor's turnabout in health, he had seen it happen before his very eyes and the fact that G'Kar had just had diner with the Emperor and Londo was not invited had been a burr in his claw.

"What are we drinking to, G'Kar?"

He smiles widely. "Peace and the health of your Emperor, may he live another hundred years and then some."

Londo was shocked at the sentiment. If he could have seen the seers of his own world, and even a number of shadows and Vorlon, he would have seen them in no small amount of pain as the new paths of prescience were forged upon existence.

To some like Kosh it was a welcome relief from a darker path the future could hold; to others it was a frustration at the lack of control they would be able to retain in the future. For a few it was simply something that so affected them that it was shocking to say the least.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"Cordelia, did you think that Captain Sheridan looks a bit like that spy character on Scarecrow and Mrs. King? I mean he sure as hell had the voice down."

She smiles and nods, "Bruce Boxleitner, yes, he did a bit, but I think the captain is taller."

A grinning Xander nods. "What did you think of the Emperor?"

She sighed and snuggled into him. Kendra was listening, as was Dawn and Willow.

Dawnie had hoped to share their bed that night. She hadn't pressed the issue because of her mother's stern look. To her the look prevented the natural progression of the night and she'd gone to her own inviting bed with a pout and a thought that _**'Sometime being an adult is so boring!'**_ as she mentally reviewed the dinner.

"I think that he was a lot like I was before I divorced my parents and moved in with you. He was about as in control of his life as I was, which is to say until he made the choice to not follow that path he was stuck. I think he has a good heart, no puns there." She glared at him as his lips twitch. "I think he'll do some great things and I think that he'll want to stay in contact after he leaves the station."

He nods. "I was going to talk to him about it and to Michael. I think things are heating up here. I hate to be Mr. Negative but I have this…"

Cordelia nods and offers firmly, "You have that feeling that things are being staged?"

He frowns for a moment then nods in agreement. "Not just staged, a bit more than that, maybe, positioned, poised for a strike. I see two distinct sides. One side is all about war and assassination to achieve power, a very Palpatine-like methodology in the path to power. The other side of that is there are those that seemed to have been able to keep their honor despite their situations. I know that G'Kar has no doubt killed a number of innocent Centauri simply because they are Centauri, but until tonight I think he thought of them much like I think of vampires. Angel aside, I dust them on sight."

She nods. "I can understand that, and Angel, both of them, I don't think of as vampires anymore. They're just different types of people. I mean a fledgling could easily go to the hospital and get the day-old blood that they can't use anymore or go to the butcher and get their blood from animals, but they don't even think of it because… well, because they don't have a soul I guess."

Xander gives a gesture of agreement, "If they followed the law in some form or fashion then they wouldn't be what they are."

She agrees silently and reasserts the topic, "Back to the Emperor. I think that if he can catch this Refer idiot then it should be a lot easier to make peace."

He gave her a look and growls, "Enough talk!"

He rolled so he was on top of her. The others all grinned, and although the talking stopped the night wasn't over for several hours.

Dawnie woke with a start; she recalled the night and smiled a moment before she realized her breath smelled almost like rotten food. She'd forgotten to clean her teeth before bed. She thru her covers off and got up, she made her way to the bathroom quietly and bushed her teeth, used the bathroom and made her way back to her room

On the way back she heard something and looking around she saw a shadow that took a moment to understand where the shadow and light were coming from, it was from under Xander's door. _**'Xander and his mates' door!'**_ she mentally corrected. Padding softly up to the door she bent down and looked thru the old fashion key hole to see what was moving around in there. _**'Surely they're asleep already.'**_

As Dawnie found the light in the room and the movement her eyes widened and her breath quickens as her body responds naturally to her voyeurism. She can help but blush and straighten up, she reached down and touches herself, she'd dried herself good when she went pee but it was moist now, she smiled as she knew what that was and rushed to her room to… take care of it.

Off in the distance Angel was meditating, he didn't require the sleep the others did and often meditated in the center of the manor while Buffy was already asleep. Tonight he'd stayed up too late to join her as she fell asleep, he'd wanted to find out about the Emperor's dinner and Egeria had been willing to share.

He couldn't help but smirk at being completely missed by Dawnie and found it quite humorous on why she was rushing off at that moment. He'd been able to hear, even with the sound proofing, when Xander and the girls started and he'd also known when Dawnie went to the bathroom. He wondered how long it would be before Joyce gave up and let her youngest of the four daughters into that relationship.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

AN: For those that think Dawnie is too young, I would agree for actual sex, Dawn however is a different story. The loss of her mother, the ignoring of her existence firmly establish her majority in spirit if not legally. Dawnie however is within the right age for healthy self exploration. If Dawnie does become part of the harem, sexually, it will be some time and maturation later, I hope I presented a solid front on the idea that she still mentally un mature, not immature the way Jack O'Neill is but just not 'adult' in her mind yet. She still plays up the Bratty little sister. Actual age difference for Xander L and Dawnie is less then four years, where as Dawn and Xander are at two. Babylon 5 information has some registered truths but there is also some artistic license that wasn't in the show. Any strong objections or thoughts PM me and I'll either explain it or attempt to adjust what to include.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4


	5. Chapter 5

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Chapter 5: Peace and Terrorism

cj_cold my has my undying gratitude for such wonderful help as a beta!

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Joyce's old home in Sunnydale served wonderfully as a guest house or a rental. That was where Samantha Hammond was sleeping for the night. The girl had gone to bed utterly confused. She'd not stayed long at LeVelle Manor before coming though some kind of doorway that looked nothing like the portable door that Finn had brought with him to South America. It had taken some time to orientate herself, most of the night and a good solid sleep. After she woke to Sunnydale in the morning she contacted Graham.

"Yea, I'm not sure how I got here but one of Riley's friends saw to it."

Graham's word had her eyes widen and she had to double check what he'd said, "What?"

"I don't know how they burnt that much forest. All I know is that one of his friends shot fire from his hands."

"No, his name is Xander. But it was Xander LeVelle. He's a double of the Xander Harris that's here. From what I gather, he wanted to make sure that none of the demons escaped."

"Yea I'll stick around here for a while," her voice turned husky, "Riley is sort of nice."

As Buffy looked over at her with a smirk, Sam fidgeted. This wasn't the Buffy that had rushed to their aid. It was a double, which really freaked her out a bit.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do." Turning to Buffy she demands, "What?"

Buffy smirks at her expression then bluntly observes, "You like Riley!" Her voice took on a special blend of happiness and sadness, "He deserves some happiness and it wasn't something I could give him, but he is still my friend and if you hurt him I know demons that will eat your flesh and they'll never find the bones!" She growled that last before twirling around to leave.

Sam blinks and then smiles slightly, she somehow doubted that the short slayer would do that, but she entertained no doubts that Little Buffy Summers would ensure her life was hell if Riley got hurt. She briefly wondered where the soldier was before moving off to find him.

It would be three days before she bedded her soldier, and four days before Riley made plans to go with her to fight demons located away from the Hellmouth. Before that happened Riley wanted to talk to Xander, both of them.

Riley wanted to ask about taking a portable Door. The thing had saved their lives last time and he could see it doing so in the future as well. Not only that but he had only just realized that he could be friends with Buffy and not be having sex with her. He'd shared with Sam that there would always be both love and a physical attraction for Buffy. It was so she knew before hand and he wouldn't step on her toes. Sam had been shocked but nodded, she wasn't about to share him but honesty was a big part of any relationship.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Riley called in from the RV's door in Sunnydale, "Xander, are you in?"

Angel looked up from his book and smirks, "He's in the kitchen!"

Turning to the female companion that Riley didn't introduce he holds out a hand, "I'm Angel. You didn't get a chance for introductions the last time."

She flushed and shook his hand. She noticed he had warm hands and a pulse, simply on instinct.

"Come on and I'll introduce you to Xander… Xander LeVelle that is you didn't really have the time before and I believe you've already spent some time with Xander Harris." He could smell him on her; the panther smell was quite unique.

She nods. "I liked him, how long has he been hunting vampires?"

Angel shrugs and Xander LeVelle answers, "Since sophomore year; that part of our history is alike."

She froze momentarily as Xander came into view, and realized this Xander was fitter then the other as well as slightly younger looking.

"Xander LeVelle and you must be Samantha. I didn't get your last name though."

She held out a hand, "Hammond!"

Lifting an eyebrow he shakes her hand, "Do you by chance know a George Hammond?"

She smiles and nods, "He's my father."

"Bald, from Texas, and is about yay tall?" He held out a hand to match General Hammond's height.

Samantha nods but this time with curiosity.

"Well I don't know if you have a double in another realm, but I've met a double of your father. General George Hammond, SGC."

"My dad was a general but he retired in '97 from the Air force."

"Wow," he turned to Riley, "I wonder if they have a Stargate on your world after all."

"My world… doubles… you looked like Xander but… what the hell Finn?"

She did not like being confused.

Smirking Xander tells him, "You should take her outside to see the sun rise over Epsilon III."

That name sounded familiar to Riley but he passed it off and pulled her to the door. She gasped at the sight and turned with wide eyes.

"Yea, amazing isn't it?"

She nodded silently.

Turning them away from the sun rise to keep their attention on the here and now Xander asks, "So Finn, you're planning to leave Sunnydale for a while then?"

Riley winces and nods. "I'd like to get another Doorway but I'll understand if…"

"Done, and take a few Zats as well. I actually have a smaller Iris for you. I've been working on refining their versatility for a while. I've made some that are much easier to handle and others that are a bit less… door like." He smirked at the word choice he'd used.

"This one for example" he held up a small round disc like item, "will go to here and I set it up outside so you don't need to search for room if you're coming thru fast. I've already made about fifty of them."

Riley looked shocked the disk was so small. It was the size of a small Frisbee so he commented on it, "This is really small!"

Xander nods, "It doesn't work until it gets at least the size of a ten-speed's tire. The sides will lock if you open it in a hurry. This one is set up to that stand right there." He pointed near the wall of the house.

He does a give me gestured and Riley tossed it back to him. "The small ones that are portable have been nicknamed by Dawnie as Portable Holes, and for these I added a few runes to emphasize that."

He smirked with great amusement as he snapped it open using one hand, it gave out a snap sound as though it was a switchblade. The Iris nearby was instantly the same size and shimmering. Upon focusing they could make out that they were seeing the image that being sent thru the one in Xander's hand. It was enough to make you ill if you watched it for any amount of time. Xander tossed the one in his hand towards the wall. The free one seemed to spin horizontally with equal measure before they both froze upright, the one on the wall stuck.

"They have an obscuring rune added on for the event horizon. Only those who have been here will actually see thru them. Inky blackness will be all they see otherwise, now you see why they are called Portable Holes. It makes it look like a dark hole thru the wall. There is also a mild adhesive rune on the front and back so even on loose dirt it won't slide easily."

Riley Finn nods, smiling at Xander as he takes the iris back. "You really made this useful. That other Door took some space and time to open and set up."

"That's another thing. This has a self destruct rune on it which is triggered from this side and it's keyed to you so if you press this on the base here, it will destroy that one." He pointed to the one in his hands with a smile of accomplishment. "I had the shivers thinking of the off chance that a demon got a hold of the runes on these things. This was the best method of preventing that from happening. The frame, or the Iris will still be there but the runes will be burned out and completely dead."

Riley looked at Xander, he was quite a bit different then the other Xander, more motivated he assumed. "I appreciate this. You don't mind if a few nights a week we come thru to meet up with your double do you?"

Xander shook his head. "I don't mind but remember the wards here; if they mean to harm anyone under these wards or have plans to control them the wards will bounce them back. Of course if they've been tainted for some reason it might clear their head while here."

Dawnie enters and kissed the talking Xander's cheek, "Morning Xander!"

Riley raised an eyebrow at that. It was quite a personal invasion of his space, one that the other Xander wouldn't have allowed so blatantly. However when they saw the other girls enter and kiss him more firmly on the mouth with a bit more passion he quickly recalled Dawnie's kiss and shook his head in amusement. The smart girl was simply taking advantage of the situation.

Sam was flustered from being turned on at the nature of those girls kisses. She couldn't help but ask, "Are all of you…?"

The sudden attention of every eye in the kitchen shut her up as she froze.

"You're the soldier dat carried me!?" Kendra said and got up and hugged her, much to Samantha's surprised and then said, "Dank you!" Kendra could smell something and knew what it was. She glanced over to Riley; her smile was quickly turning to a smirk. "You do have good tastes." She licked her lips.

Riley flushes.

Samantha asked "And you?" of the slayer while she was glancing at Xander.

Xander fidgeted and went back to cooking as a welcome distraction. He was thankful Dobby was helping clean the ship this morning, since Xander had wanted to cook them breakfast in bed. That opportunity was obviously lost when they got up.

"Xander is Xander" Dawn said. "He's ours as much as we're his. Then again all of us are attracted to each other as well." She licked her lips and Wills flushed and looked down. She adds with a smirk at Cordy and Wills, "Some of us are attracted to some a bit more then others."

"You mean you all…" she flushed. "I see" she managed out.

The elf pops in and whines, "Master Xander is not supposed to be cooking, that is being Dobby's job."

Xander winces. "Sorry little dude. I had wanted to give my girls breakfast in bed but I wasn't fast enough."

The girls cooed and apologized for getting up.

Dawnie frowns, "Me too?" she sniffed and he shifted a bit. She smirked and leaned over and kissed his cheek again this time she moved back slower. "Thank you, Xander; it was sweet of you."

Dobby almost rolled his eyes but took over with a snap of his fingers while pushing the human away from _his_ stove. Dobby was suddenly cooking much faster. The table started to fill up with food and drinks with a magical snap of his fingers.

"I guess, as the cook has insisted, we'll have breakfast together."

Almost whispering Samantha asks, "What is he?"

"Dobby is a house elf in LeVelle Manor's employ. He was hired by Mr. Doyle originally and made this place his home. We make sure he gets paid but I have a feeling he really just wants to belong."

Very curiously she states, "I never heard of house elves." She wondered but didn't ask what kind of demon he was. She didn't want to offend the little kitchen hog and thought it might actually be an alien after seeing the sun set over an entire planet.

Xander nods. "House elves are magical creatures, beings, people, whatever, but they are magical not demonic. They don't exist, that I know of, on your world."

She looked shocked but nodded, what she knew of the overall picture was coming together.

When Riley and Sam left they had a number of Zats and a scanner that would let them scan for foreign, or infringing upon their DNA. It nicely covered any demons that altered humans for their own ends or the type of pills Professor Walsh had given her soldiers. There were a number of demonic breeds that used humans as incubation tools that were hard to spot out without it. The fact was that it wouldn't show any of the demonic species that intermixed with humans or nature, such as Brachen; they were actually naturally mixing rather then infringing upon the DNA of a 'host'.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"Hey Xander?!" called out a Garibaldi coming thru the Iris to LeVelle Manor. "The Emperor has asked to see you, if you're available."

He shrugs a nod telling the chief, "Let me grab my jacket."

Dawn and Dawnie looked over curiously but went back to work. Today they were working on math of all things. Willow had given them several assignments before she went to work with Egeria on some project or another. Even being telepathic it was difficult to keep up with the number of projects those two got up to.

With his jacket on and a few weapons that he'd never forget when leaving the manor, Xander was led away by the Chief of Security for Babylon 5. If Dawnie hadn't been quite so preoccupied and busy she would have realized why everything about Babylon 5 was so familiar.

On their way Xander turns to Michael and asks, "So, any idea what he wants?"

"No," he shook his head. "But he seemed really worried and I think, no I'm fairly sure, he wants you to help play peacemaker." He smirked at the idea that Xander could play peacemaker and had spent a private dinner doing just that the night before. Aloud the chief admits, "Although I should point out that he didn't actually say that."

Xander had a small frown on his face as he thought of what was needed. He really didn't mind brokering peace. It was a good thing in his mind, but if he needed it after last night… "We'll find out soon enough."

It wasn't a long walk. Xander was alone with the chief in silence as they made their way there.

When they arrived at the familiar door he'd had dinner with the night before the Security Chief announced, "We're here."

It may have been unnecessary but it was appreciated as it was obvious that the younger man's mind was wandering. Xander noted that the quarters were the same he'd had dinner in the night before but he felt an unhinged emotion of worry and hurry in the atmosphere that was mostly coming from the emperor. Turhan was not as calm of an influence as he was the night before.

"Thank the maker! Xander I believe Lord Refa has made his move. If I'm right he's started a military operation to move on a very large Narn Colony. I worry that the Narn will see this as an act of war. I feel…. I'd like to ask you to be there to help me convince the Narn that this was not the doing of the Centauri people, and I really don't know how to go about accomplishing this."

Xander blinks in shock. He couldn't help but give the Chief a glanced. He was blank-faced but Xander had the advantage of being able to read his mind. Garibaldi's mind was anything but blank. The utter shock that Emperor Turhan would be so open about internal issues with a human he had only met the day before was there.

With a gesture Xander calms him down, "Let us sit for a moment." They sat as Xander went over what he knew unconsciously pulling options and strategic information form all those present. He turns and asks him, "What exactly is Lord Refa doing?"

This was more for Turhan and even Michael to follow his logic than it was to find out.

"He has a number of the military assets he has direct control over and has taken a number of other lord's military assets by proxy to allow him to supersede their command. He has amassed a fleet and started movement towards Sector 14. I believe he is intent on conquering the Sector." He took a breath letting that set in.

With a groan he tells his human friend, "You were right. The timing of the assassination attempt was not by coincidence, and the assassin, we have him. He is the man who killed my son. The information was collected from the individuals involved in the attempted coup d'état. Refa won't be going to Sector 14 for at least a half a day. I have already mobilized the rest of our military fleet to go after them; but if I send them as they are, the Narn will see it as if I am sending my entire fleet after a _civilian_ colony."

He shivered at that and Garibaldi's eyes widen.

"Worse is that half the lords in the Centaurum still believe the lies that it is some kind of listening post, Lord Refa's propaganda has been stout. Complete misinformation as well, I've already had the colony investigated and confirmed this dishonesty as untruth but my word is not what it once was in the Centaurum."

"First of all we need G'Kar, and…" he paused, "You have your fleet at Centauri Prime or thereabouts and you have your escorts here. My recommendation is to ask G'Kar to inform his people about these actions. After that you can either turn over the ships used or Lord Refa to stand trial in the Narns legal system, maybe both. If this is known to be a Civilian location and you are not at war, then this isn't a military operation; but rather a civil matter and the Narn should have some legal and moral authority over the premeditated murder of however many civilians the colony holds, or attempted murder for those that didn't die in the attempt. If you assist in a murderer's apprehension and add validity to the claim of Centauri's non aggression it will send a assertive and uncompromising message to the other leaders in the Centaurum that the law is the law regardless of political schemes. The loss of ships will also ensure that the majority of your opposition will be without their military strength, which I gather is the method of control as well as a showing of prestige for the Legators within the Centaurum."

The Emperor frowns in thought before nodding. "That has merit, but it would need to be implemented posthaste if we are to catch Refa with his… hand in the cookie jar as you say."

With an amused smirk Xander offers, "Or his pants down!?"

The Emperor smiles then turns to his lead telepath focusing his thoughts. She gives a nod that the message was sent as he instructed.

"The orders are being relayed to Malachi, my Prime Minister. He will finish collecting those who were party to my son's assassination while the fleet on its way."

Xander thought of something and adds, "We should at least keep the Ambassador for Centauri in the loop and it might be best to keep him with us?"

"Perhaps, if Garibaldi would ask them both to arrive, we can let them know and if we all go together it will prevent any dissension."

Garibaldi hadn't expected any of this. He realized that the young man had a way about him which allowed him to see to the heart of things. The bloody ruthlessness was new but then he thought of it and realized he was going to kill a shit load of demons single-handedly while tired from a day's worth of navigation.

Michael shook his head; more than one human had tried to get the Centauri and Narn to the table. They'd all failed and among those that tried and failed was both Sinclair and Sheridan. They were at Babylon 5 to begin with because they believed Peace was possible and the station was the best hope for it. That Xander had suddenly gained so much influence was shocking and the security chief in him really wanted to ask if it had to do with this magic he'd shown him. He didn't think so, because if Xander was influencing the Emperor the telepaths would have, no doubt, informed the guards.

Garibaldi used his communication link on his hand to ask G'Kar and Londo to come to the Emperor's quarters as soon as possible and that it was a matter of some urgency.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"What is it you needed Mr. Garibaldi?" G'Kar asked coming to thru the open hatch. Londo made a face as he saw the Narn enter and rushed to enter behind him. Vir was with him slightly out of breath from the fast paced walk to get here so quickly.

The chief gestures to the Emperor and Xander.

"We have trouble. Lord Refa has organized a limited number of military forces to attack a Narn Colony. The Emperor wishes to intercede to limit the amount of Narn casualties."

The Emperor spoke up as if on queue, "The colony is in Quadrant 14. It is the largest colony the Narn have. He has falsely claimed it as a military target – a listening outpost. I have confirmed it is not with Imperial resources. Refa has committed to this without my or the Prime Minister's authorization and…" he glanced at the two Centauri "he has conspired to not only attempt to kill me but is guilty of organizing the death of my son."

There was a sharp intake of breath from Vir Cotto.

Londo closed his eyes with worry on his face. "What would you have me do your eminence?"

"We wish to alert the Narn and I wish to join the rest of the fleet in defending the innocent life that Refa wishes to take needlessly. We will relay orders from _The Tuscano_ as the Centauri Emperor to stand down aggression against that quadrant of space, and then if they don't we will defend it with all due diligence, and if they are willing? We will do so beside the Narn who are doing the same."

G'Kar was white faced and nodded. "I need to inform my government!"

Xander tossed him an iris, it looked like a rings that would fit as a crown. "Pull it out when you're done, put against a wall, and step thru." He pulled his out of its small sheath and pulled on the center, it opened. G'Kar looked started as his started to expand. Xander closed it and shrugged. "I'll go with him; after you're done informing your government, I thought it would be wise to have a united front on _The Tuscano_ was it?" he glanced at the Emperor.

The Emperor smiles nodding agreement.

Looking at the item G'Kar says, "Marvelous!"

"Just make sure to finish before we get too far. I'm not sure how far these will work if we've already jumped to hyperspace." He suspected that they would work no matter how far away they were in hyperspace but wasn't going to say that.

G'Kar nodded still in awe.

Garibaldi gave Xander a look which the younger man shrugged at, "It isn't like he'll be able to copy them and this way we save valuable time."

It was much smaller than the one in his quarters, and he wondered what else was different about it, instead of asking he nods and tells Xander, "Just make sure you come back in one piece!" With a smirk he adds, "I would hate to have your girls on my ass."

They left most of the Emperor's belongings there; he would return to the station after the battle. Turhan was feeling invigorated.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The Centaius Protocols enabled meant several things. First of all, arrested Legators and Vocators of the two ruling bodies would be kept silent and not made public, the equivalent to the human's 'top secret'. The arrested would be subjected to deep telepathic screening for any and all crimes; this was under normal circumstances illegal but under the Centaius Protocols was accepted and expected. Those found guilty of crimes that were on the level of treason against the emperor or collusion with known enemies of the Centauri people were executed. This was all done with the most expedient level of policing force they could muster. By enacting those protocols it made it was easier to secure the information and catch as many conspirators as possible.

Minister Malachi had caught the assassin, several colleagues, and already four had died during the deep scans and several hundred were executed for their crimes. Deep scans only harmed those that had resistance to the telepathic scans which was either conscious effort on their part or they paid someone to implant the shields over a long period of time either which signified a significant level of guilt.

The really sickening thing was that half the troops in the military forces being used in Quadrant 14 thought they were there on official Centauri business, following the chain of command, and bringing glory to their house and to Centauri. He hoped the Emperor's new found health wasn't endangered because of leading a battle against his own soldiers. He hoped that his eminence's presence was enough to sway those loyal to Centauri Prime of the futility of this battle. After all, they had only a tenth of the fleet in the attacking force. The issue came from the automated system controls that made defense a very strong thing in the war ships.

Malachi decided he was going to have to find the finest wine and share a drink with this human that so motivated his eminence.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

War is confusing and in space it isn't much better. G'Kar had arrived before they entered the jumpgate to hyperspace. Xander had closed the connection and handed the closed iris to G'Kar. This was because he had one to the manor and one to the ship in his pouch. He wasn't sure if the one to the manor would work and the one to the Joyce wouldn't be dependant on the distance. He hadn't tested it for distance and didn't want to start in the middle of a conflict.

There wasn't a single shot fired at _The Tuscano_, but only about half of Refa's force had pulled back when they received the Emperor's message. The other half had boldly continued advancing. The Narn defense forces had pulled back just a bit to let the Centauri loyalists get first shot at the invaders. A third of the invaders were crippled with the first volley, but the energy fire was almost constant even after that. That was when the ships that had pulled back opened fire, not at the colony but at the ships that were attacking.

The entire battle took almost fourteen hours and Xander was exhausted. There were fifteen ships that were too damaged to navigate at all in space and they had several survivors.

The survivors from the ships that were on the Emperor's side were taken with the Centauri and the rest were turned over to the Narn to be tried for premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit murder, or accessory to commit murder. They could not claim that they were acting as Centauri under Centauri Military Purview. It was publicly told to the Narn that the Emperor would not object to seeing the people of the ships on trial, and if they were aware of the circumstances of their current activities, executed. If they were not aware then he asks them to spare their lives – but only their lives. He expanded on that saying to allow them their freedom was not necessary and would serve as a warning to his people that they are subjected to the same laws as any others, and be a statement of support the Narn had from the Centauri government that they were a legitimate government. The only exception to depriving them of their freedom was those that were completely unaware of their ships activities, circumstances, or treason.

There was no doubt that some on those ships would have still believed they were serving the Emperor, and it hurt more than Turhan thought it would, but he gritted his teeth and bared it. They were victims, not of his tyranny but of the betrayal of their lord to them as much as to him.

"The ships, even the ones that were on our side and are too damaged to fly into hyperspace are a gift to the colony. I will have the paperwork written up. A declaration of peace between our two peoples and a united front against…"

The Emperor glanced briefly at Xander for the right word, much to G'Kar's amusement.

"Terrorism?" offered a tired Xander, knowing he was being called on.

Turhan smiles giving assent and thanks for the word. "Terrorism" he tasted the word, "yes; this untied front against terrorism for both our peoples."

It was a good day, and many had died, Narn and Centauri alike. But for some reason G'Kar felt their blood was spilled not in anger and bigotry but in brotherhood, and perhaps in healing.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Back on Babylon 5, John was flabbergasted and pleased. He had no idea what exactly went on at that dinner last night between Xander, Ambassador G'Kar, and Emperor Turhan, but evidently Xander had a rather startling influence on the Emperor.

"So they left together on the Centauri ship, _The Tuscano_, G'Kar as well, to defend a Narn colony?"

Garibaldi nodded and John quantified his question, "From Centauri?"

Michael Garibaldi grin wasn't an unprofessional one, "I believe, sir, that it isn't quite so self effacing. The fact of the matter is, based on what I heard parts of, the aggressor Centauri are likely behind the death of the Emperor's son and the attempt on his life that we all witnessed here on Babylon 5, that heart attack was no natural condition. I spoke with Franklin, it was determined that heart attack was from poison administered years ago to make it look like natural heart failure."

"I got a communiqué from EarthGov. They've heard of the human making waves, as they called it…" he smirked. "Evidently someone back home doesn't like the idea of a Narn Centauri alliance."

The news report of Turhan's public apology had been beside a human and that had called for some major questioning on who he was back on Earth. That was the only thing it could be considering how long Xander had been around the station, Michael raised an eyebrow at that.

John smiled and told him. "I told them to stuff it, that we're here to make sure they get along, as is our mandate, and that I have the Minbari backing me up. Delenn shared that the Minbari have tried several times to mediate a peace between the Narn and Centauri and they want to talk to Xander as well. Mostly I think they're just curious. He's only been here a week and has already made an impact politically."

"I never thought he was all that political those couple of weeks I was staying in the Manor, but considering his wives, and if anyone says they aren't wives they're blind or stupid, I suppose I should have realized he was a silver tongued devil."

John laughs at Michael's smirking look but the laughter turned grim and he told his chief, "Well I hope to speak with him a bit about his influence on the Narn and Centauri. I have a feeling we're going to need all the help we can get."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

**AN:** _Some aspects are comply original, I may or may not be following cannon from here on out, though with some things I'll try. Feel free to ask things in reviews or PMs, but if you don't want spoilers don't ask about what is going to happen. Some things I'll say for sure and others I'll guess at as I've not written them yet_.


	6. Chapter 6

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Beta kudos to cj_cold

Chapter 6: Summit

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

George Hammond looked to Chief Master Sergeant Walter Harriman, one of the many members of staff sitting in on this particular briefing, and asks, "Are the Irises in place shipside?"

"We have them in place, sir." Walter told him. "They're all manned on the other side by keyed individuals that can authorize travelers or come through the Irises themselves. The self destruct of the travel Irises is fairly simple to operate and I'm rather pleased that they only work with certain individuals."

Walter was one of the few who were keyed into every Iris, as was Jack, George, and a few others. It made Walter feel… needed, important, and boosted his ego just a bit.

George half smiled at the Chief and nods, "Thank you, Walter."

The briefing continued, a rough 3D blueprint on appeared above the table, it was another little gift thanks to the technology transfer, quite useful in these meetings and the Goa'uld nano-lathe had put it together without too much effort for the short staff they had manning the ship.

"We stationed them in the highlighted areas. These areas are the cordoned off to non military personal." George reminded the others there. "Major Griff, have we set up the civilian schools and communal areas?"

"Yes sir. We're still working on the details concerning the civilian side of the schooling. Most of the students seem to range wider than is usual for a single school. We already entertained the idea of hiring a number of teachers who passed the background checks or using some personal who have experience with education. Payroll isn't an issue overall, but we still don't know if those we wish to hire will be willing to stay here. At least we don't have to worry about keying them into the Irises regardless if they stay or not. If they don't stay, we need methods of securing them as possible leaks Earth-side and we don't really have the assets to spare for that." Left unsaid was the risk assessment for the NID's probable interference with this.

"Some of the teachers are quite capable themselves in the field of research and development. These people will need training if they wish to pursue that as an option but it is another item that we may want to consider."

Jack spoke up with reassuring tones, "We knew things were going to happen and that not everything runs smoothly before we started this."

They all nod in agreement at that.

Jack shrugs, "You mention the teachers capable of R 'n D; maybe we can do that in reverse as well. We have plenty of technicians perhaps some of them wouldn't mind teaching different subjects. In fact there needs to be some safety issues and commonsense training when living in space regardless of it being unnecessary for normal schooling. You know I think we might also want to contact Catherine Langford, she and her husband. Do we have enough results on the research with the Dargol Pesticide youth serum to help Ernest and Catherine?" Jack was glancing at George and Janet.

Hammond blinked in surprised and then turned to Janet.

Janet gestures giving him a half shrug before telling them, "We know it works."

It was a confirmation or affirmation of success before she quantified it, "It seems to be completely safe unless somehow we come across those that might be allergic to it, which we haven't seen any sign of. As of last week we've started to refine the synthesis adjusting for variables and ensuring that we have complete control over the de-aging process. Dr. Lee, Bill Lee that is, was heading up the research for the interface which will control the process based on a wide variety of individual factors."

Janet had glanced at Dr. Rothman when she mentioned Dr. Lee. Dr. Rothman was the scientist to sit in on the debriefing this time and he looked rather interested and bored all at the same time. Dr. Rothman was more like Daniel than a typical tech nerd that she'd come to expect from that seat during the last dozen or so of these briefings. Not every briefing was quite so heavily staffed, but General Hammond had been trying to pull most of the senior staff together for this briefing and would try every other month or so to do the same thing, it was simpler than ensuring that everyone read the memos he sent out informing them of current events.

George nodded to Janet that the she'd explained enough before turning to Jack and complementing his idea, "Using the de-aging serum is a good idea. I'll request that they rework the age parameters for the background checks. It should include some retired elder soldiers that might wish to consult as civilians."

Jack smiled slightly; having younger elders was going to be quite the… experience.

Turning to Jack the General asks, "Have the SG Teams started up again?"

Jack winced instantly. He'd really like to be on those teams still. "We've started to send the teams back out, nothing new to report that we haven't already talked about. Mostly routine but we have had a few casualties. SG-15 had their assed handed to them and SG-14 got two of their team taken out. We haven't sent anyone back to P6Y-325 yet because we still don't know what actually occurred. We've had several successful expansions into the worlds that we already had a presence. It's kept most of my geeks happy trying to fill in the blanks on the database." He glanced at Allen and Harriet and smiled at them silently thinking them for the contribution. They were paid as consultants but at a very low rate and they were pleasantly surprised with the unexpected bonus.

Looking at Hammond, Jack continued but on a different track, "The Tok'ra contacted us about setting up a time for a Treaty Summit to sign the treaty with the President. They realize that we're still arranging things here but I thought I would put it foreword."

"That is good news." The General smiled the treaty had been on track before they'd commandeered the ship they were on right now. "I was a bit worried that they felt we took advantage of them when we secured…" He sighed. "I believe they are going to name our command ship the Prometheus, but that is not set in stone."

"Prometheus," perked up Dr Rothman tasting the word with a smile before he nodded approvingly, "the thief who stole fire from the gods to ensure humanity's survival. Yes, that works. It is a very apt description. We only need to add the word 'false' to the quote!"

The archeologist said this with a seriousness which was why it garnered a chuckle for some and laughter from the others.

"I see" smiled Hammond. "I was worried! Even with the support we gave the Tok'ra, by providing the blank clone and trapping the Goa'uld… I've been quite concerned that they'd take offense with us utilizing the ship they wished destroyed."

Allen chuckles. "They might have, but I doubt it was that we used it so much as that we thought of it and they hadn't. I somehow doubt it would've prevented them from officially joining forces. Although just as a cautionary thing, you might want to have a few failsafe systems in place to ensure nobody prevents the treaty from being signed. We do have the advantage of screening people." He glanced at Janet when he said 'screening' before adding, "Those screens might not be the best main method of security. Considering some soldiers lost friends and such to the encounters with the megalomaniac's side of the Goa'uld. Not to mention that there might be some of their group that isn't so eager to sign on with us."

Harriet nodded. Jack looked curious and agreeable as George scratched his chin in thought for a moment in thought.

George asks, "Short of a large scale resistance such as a bombing, how would you suggest we defend against such confrontations? I mean how would you recommend providing some means of a guarantee?" There was already a list forming in George's mind about security getting into the Summit and he was sure Jack had some input as well, but the advanced of a council such as this was everyone else at the table would have things to input into a brainstorm and cut out any fixated ideas that wouldn't help.

Allen shrugs and offers, "First of all; there should be no weapons there during the Summit itself. If someone brings one it isn't a good thing. Maybe we could install some kind of panic button to activate defenses against certain weapons but I have no idea how to implement that."

That got Harriet thinking. She half turned to her husband and asked him with gleaming eyes that usually went with figuring out a puzzle, "Maybe something like the cloaked scouts?"

Allen shrugged noncommittally. "Not many people have the ability to use Scouts and I doubt that Xander wants to sit by a monitor the entire time listening and watching for danger."

"He might," Harriet had a twinkle in her eyes, "from what Dawn said he's rather interested in politics, though he would deny it if asked."

Jack asked, only slightly irritated at the byplay, "What is a scout?"

It was Allen who spoke up the answer, "Scouts are a remote viewing system that observes the surroundings centered on a small piece of wood that's charged with some rather unique energy patterns. Here" he pulled out the pad that was connected to the table and after a few moments he smiled and the image floating of the ship altered and suddenly there was a block of wood very large and turning slightly. "See here this is what it is, for a basic scout at least. Xander is rather a good aim with this. I only wish we could record from them."

"Why can't you?" Dr. Rothman asks.

"It utilizes energy for both the Scout and the Viewing Platforms." Harriet touched the pad and the cubed scout shrunk and there was an image of a VP and Dawn sitting at it. "The VP Dawn is sitting at is actually being used but it just doesn't show up on the film, either digital or magnetic media. You can see just fine but to actually record it?" he shook his head and stayed silent a moment.

"This is all fine," Allen continued. "But unless you are really skilled with controlling a scout which usually is also based somewhat on your genetic disposition, it wouldn't do any good. We can ask Xander if you want."

General Hammond nodded. "If you could I think it would be much safer and less worry concerning what might happen. Perhaps Colonel O'Neill, you might want to have some others there as well."

This was the first time George had recommended something to Jack to make the choice rather than make it himself when it came to the SGC, and it wasn't missed by those present. There was a chain of command, no doubt, but this particular command was charting into new waters. Hopefully they would eventually have more ships and those that were gaining rank would continue to do so and with that rank experience and expansion.

Jack nodded. "That is a good idea, you think that the Vies, Tollan, Orbanians, and if Teal'c can find him perhaps Bra'tac, might like to be at this Summit as well." It very definitely was statement but Jack's eyes were seeking out Teal'c's ever-present gesture of agreement when needed. Bra'tac had sent word and included some training materials when they took the supper Ha'tak, but he'd not visited himself even if he stated his desire to.

George smiled widely at the initiative of the soon to be legitimate commander of SG Operations.

Teal'c voices his agreement as well as nodding, "Master Bra'tac would indeed like to be here, and I would be quite curious if the DP serum will have a strong affect on Jaffa."

Harriet speaks up quickly, "I think we should test that on blood samples before we do anything. I'm not sure if Naquadah in your blood or the lack of immune system would affect your susceptibility." She was thinking more on the Prolong than serum.

Teal'c nods; _**'Bra'tac is very old and if he could be younger again then it might help him to lead those Jaffa who are of like mind and wish to serve no master, no false god, and live free.'**_

The remainder of the meeting was simple confirmation that the Iris pairs were in place. Both the planet side and the ship side were spread out. There were two in DC under guard by the Secret Service who could see it destroyed at a moments notice. There was t third near DC just outside the district. Eight were in the Colorado Springs area, five of them on base at different secure areas while the remaining three of the eight were in private 'safe houses' that were actual homes of trusted personal far enough away from observation that it would be easier to use if necessary. There were three placed in Area 51 which General Hammond hoped was only temporarily needed. They left two mobile inside RVs which had a roaming guard in the Midwest this was in case any unforeseen event occurred that took out a large portion of the States. There were already plans on expanding the worst case scenario to other countries but the risk was much greater. Ironically the RVs Irises were often lingering near amusement parks and could serve as a furlough for either soldiers or dignitaries.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander was sitting in the makeshift classroom with the girls. Eric and Dawnie were taking classes regularly, or at least taking lessons. They however brought some interesting points concerning the general education of the others. Buffy, Dawn, and Dawnie were there today learning as Willow and Egeria were instruction. Willow could break down several aspects of science while Egeria struggled with some of the words still, when she was teaching outside of the common room. She taught there quite a bit but usually it was more of a group educational discussion when in the common room.

Egeria also found it more fun if she taught with an assistant and usually that was Willow or Janna. Willow was easier to goad into helping. It was Egeria's job to go thru the information and Willow's job to ensure the English translation was understandable enough for them to follow along. Egeria found it easy to go off on tangents so often Willow had to redirect the topic. One of the current tangents was genetics and they weren't even sure how they got from lecturing on hyperphysics to biology.

Dawn asks, "Does that mean that the biology of the Narn still has the same basic DNA as the entirety of all known races, even the Treecats?" she glances at Xander briefly with a slight smile.

Willow nods. "They all have the same things that make up our DNA, though I'm not sure on the Vorlon or other creatures that need to breathe things like methane." She shook her head. "The medical files you'll find in the section you set up, but there is no centralized analysis or comparison to the common DNA."

Dawnie almost whining, asks, "Can we get back to how the force-fields are different between the Goa'uld, the gravity nodes, and what little we obtained from the Centauri on their shields?"

Xander grins, it was well known that she disliked biology. He could tell that she was trying not to whine. Xander had found that was cute but hadn't shared that with her. She wasn't ready and he wasn't going to encourage her anymore than he did unconsciously.

Egeria was smiling as well. "I'll handle that Willow…"

That was when Allen entered the room. "Xander, um, if you're busy…?"

"Na, I think I can skip the rest of the class" he smirked. He finally had something to do.

Dawn stuck her tongue out at him and Willow rolled her eyes.

Dawnie pouted and sniffed that he was leaving. Buffy bumped her shoulder and Cordy made a mental note to talk with Dawnie, perhaps she would handle the next joint class they did and broach the subject of _decorum_.

With Dawnie working hard to learn everything it was rather boring for her to be told what to do all the time. Joyce had brought up the fact that none of them had graduated high school yet and set about making plans to have at least a single joint class a week. The class went from high school math, science, and history to Physics, biology, and a very unorthodox history.

Angel and Joyce had plans on expanding their artistic abilities with at least one art class a month. Angel also took to giving history lessons on mostly military history, Irish Folklore, or demons; that last was also had Giles involved as well. Jana was teaching programming and had included a very wide variety from what she learned in Goa'uld systems, to Manticore and Beowulf, to the newly learned systems from the Centauri and Narn. It was shocking how many different limited AIs the different races and different realms utilized and so many of them had entirely unique methods of programming.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander asks as he felt the need emoting off of his clan, "What did you need, Allen?"

Allen smiled a touch, "The EDC is going to be holding a Treaty Summit and are inviting a number of guests. The treaty is a good thing but there are some individuals who I'm sure are going to be wishing to see relations with are allies harmed. I'm not too worried about our own people but it would be very easy to slip in a spy Goa'uld and it wouldn't be felt by the others." It wasn't missed that he spoke of the EDC as 'our own people'.

"I understand." Xander nods. "What is the plan? You wouldn't have come to me if you didn't have an idea on how I could help."

Allen smiled, almost smirking at the perceptive young man, "I'd like to set up some scouts in the Summit's meeting room. Maybe have a few portkeys made to transport prisoners directly to the brig if needed; I mean if the scouts not only froze them but transplant them elsewhere?"

"I think we can arrange that. Let's go talk with Sirius, I know the girls wore him out a bit yesterday." He was smirking.

"Um…" Allen had no words for that; he really was a prude at times.

"No" Xander chuckled, "it isn't from copious amounts of sex. Sirius took yesterday to teach a general wizarding history to the rest of us and included quite a few adults that had 'dropped by'. They wore him out with every question they could ask." He was smirking at the prank well played.

"Aura and Nancy aren't with the others in class right now because they're running around London getting things for him as punishment for inviting everyone yesterday. Not only that but he's teaching tomorrow as well the second half of the class." His smirk had a glee to the eyes that Allen blinked at.

"Why didn't you invite us?"

He shrugged. "I didn't really invite anyone I suggested to the two girls that it would be a good way to pay him back for the prank he pulled on the toilet seat last week. I had thought they told everyone about it and that you were busy. I guess they might not have told you or Frank and his wife. Ritchie showed up though." He frowned and shrugged. "Maybe they didn't think you'd be interested, I'll ask them. Sirius is really a good teacher, even with teaching adults. I think he'd have more fun teaching a more practical course though."

They approached the room Sirius was in. They could hear him speaking and glanced in at the empty room. Sirius was practicing his public speaking and it was quite humorous to see him looking expectantly at the empty room.

'_**Sirius, do you mind if we talk with you a moment? That is if you can call a break from your adoring fans?'**_

Sirius rolled his eyes then aloud says to the empty room, "I think Xander needs me, you all want to take a break? I think the next few decades were pretty much how the book says." He tapped the computer pad.

Allen laughed softly as did Xander.

"You know the only reason they want me to do this is because I gave Remus a hard time about becoming a professor!"

"No" Xander told him. "It's because everyone will remember the lesson, as you make it memorable. I know I find it much more memorable taking in their impressions as you lecture. You seem to have a humorous take on what is actually written and no doubt there are some things that were either passed down to you from what you recall from the Blacks' opinions of things, things you knew were bull, or things that you heard when you moved in with the Potters."

Sirius reluctantly sighed while nodding. "You didn't stop my practice to sing my praise; what did you need?"

"Portkeys, if you're up for it?" Allen asked.

The existed thrilled voice asks, "Really?"

Xander nodded.

Sirius sighed with relief, "Anything to avoid more practice. I'm practiced out."

That was the real reason the girls were out today so they didn't distract him from his practice. They would be having words with Xander when they found out that he'd given him the excuse to vacate the planned practices.

"We need them to go to a homing target, if you can and they need to be the Snatcher Scouts that can be remotely activated."

Sirius gambles with a sigh, "You don't ask for much, do you?" He agrees adding, "Give me a day and I should be able to do it. I just have to research the proper spell work and see if I can link it to a rune or a particular sound. Are you going to be available Xander?"

"Sure" he nodded.

Allen smiles, "I'll let the General know what's going on."

Xander told them, "Good, I think I'm going to go help Dawnie with her essay on shields."

Xander left them to their tasks; he'd been attempting to spend time with all the girls but especially with Dawnie. This was in part because all the other girls had all found that they could share themselves with some type of mental connection while having sex, it was only recently realized. Xander considered this as he approached Dawnie. It might actually be one of the reasons they were so open about their sexuality, however considering the amount they were open prior to exposure to the aspect of demon it was most assuredly not the sole reason and wasn't the reason it started that way.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"So I put these in the brig and if anyone needs a quick trip there they'll get… beamed there?"

"Good a word as any." Allen shrugged. "The idea is to make it as safe as possible for everyone present. I really hope that they don't have to be used."

"As do I…" George agrees. "Now I'm hoping to help plan a surprise party for the soon to be General O'Neill. They've already given the okay and he's already officially taken the Commanding Officer slot of the SGC leaving me to deal with the EDC as a whole. I want to talk to a number of the guests and Thor and invite them without his being aware of it."

Allen and Harriet smiled widely and started scheming ideas on the surprise party that they'd not be able to properly plan until they had at least a semi-complete guest list.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The scouts were set up in the room. Xander had a secure room to the side that had three VPs set up for the three deployed scouts. There were a dozen more folded down just in case they were needed.

"Why so many?" asked Allen.

"I figured the three I have here could be a good test to see if anyone here has the ability to control them with any efficacy. The extras are the ones that have the transport portkey to the brig attached."

Jack spoke up, "Why do they look like ships off Star Trek?"

Xander laughs. "You recognize them?"

"Yea, that one seems to almost glow near the nacelles."

Xander nods. "Would you prefer just an ugly block of wood?"

Jack smiled and shook his head.

"Sit, we can have a race."

Jack glanced at the others and shrugged.

Jack could control them quite efficiently, not as well as Xander could. Xander had the advantage of instinct and practice to add to his genetic predisposition, but Jack could steer a scout easily enough.

"You're doing well. Here try this."

He pressed a rune and the image shifted to almost a black and white and then rapidly shrunk. Jack frowned and pressed the rune causing his image to slowly shift, gradually shrinking to match Xander's.

"Picture it doing it in your head. What you're seeing now is the visual representation of gravity and energy, at first it's the Earth, then the sun, and so on."

Jack nodded, and the shrinking was much quicker but it didn't hold.

"Practice, you did more than many can. You should be able to use them fully, which is all I really wanted to know for now."

"Not everyone can use them?" he asked curiously he'd not missed what Allen and Harriet had said about the genetics being a factor.

"Some people can make them go up and down and such but don't have any of the precision when in control; as an example they wouldn't be able to shift it like we just did."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

In preparation for the Summit the Orbanians were the first to show. They were quickly followed by the representatives of Vias. Bra'tac was there shortly after the Vias had shown up.

Daniel started the introductions. "This is Kalan of Orban and Tomin, his son." Tomin seemed somewhat curious and quiet. "They are a people of Teotihuacán decent."

Kalan nods, and tells them, "Tomin has almost fully recovered from his Averium. It seems that the former Urrone almost one and all are able to learn the old fashion way much quicker. We are unsure if this is a side-effect of the time the nanites were within the Urrone affecting the brain or if they were simply predisposed to learning things that they'd known previously. It is thought that they might have a… shadow of the thoughts running thru their synapses."

It had been almost a year and a half since the SGC had contacted them; the elders had been reluctant to send anyone further to the SGC but had done so at Kalan's request. He had simply pointed out that their children now had a chance to live after the Averium where before SG1's interference with the Averium they did not. There was always a chance they might not return, but he was sure it was slim especially as neither of the two going were Urrone.

"Lynnea, Nodal, and Layale of Vias," Daniel gestures to the three. "This is Bra'tac of the free Jaffa." They shook arms a bit overwhelmed. "Lynnea, or Ke'ra as she is called with fondness, was someone who helped us and then tried to help the people of Vias when the Dargol gas caused a chain reaction which made a majority of the people young and without memories of what and who they were."

"How did you regain your memories, I take it you did?"

Lynnea winced in memory. "I helped Dr. Frasier with it. When I first got my memories back it was quite overwhelming. The woman I'd been before the memory loss was a cold vicious woman who I didn't want to live my life as she was or with the memories of her past. Only the promise to block the memories stayed my hand, then Xander helped to restore the memories without the emotional turmoil." She had a smile on her face and glanced around, placing a hand on Daniel's arm she asks him, "Is Xander here?"

Daniel nods, "He is, but he's currently occupied. I'll let him know you asked after him."

She smiled widely. Unknown to Daniel when Xander restored the memories he'd restored the memory of a growing fondness for Daniel. Ke'ra would've been happy to court the young archeologist, but with all her memories Lynnea was unsure if Daniel could ever see past the elderly lady from the prison they'd shared. Because of that Lynnea was hoping to talk to Xander and find out if he was seeing anyone romantically before putting anything what would likely be a wasted effort into pursuing Daniel.

Before talk could continue the Tok'ra delegation arrived. Jacob was with them, as was Anise, and one that Daniel didn't recognize right off the bat. Then he remembered Hebron had been the host that had volunteered for the Goa'uld that they'd dealt with just a few months ago. He briefly wondered if he had already joined with another Tok'ra or not.

Anise/Freya was the one to introduce their leader to the group of people in attendance which had grown to over a dozen already. "This is Per'sus, the host was called Percy or Perseus and the Tok'ra was named Pegasus with the former host. They joined their name as a mark of a compromise to the host and a statement of their unity. A statement of why he was named the Supreme Commander of the Tok'ra Council."

Freya took a drink of Pepsi from the Martini glass. It was surprising that they all seemed to find the custom of drinking during these events relatively familiar. The Tok'ra leader was a stern looking man and a clear glass from one of the server's trays didn't detract from the stick-in-the-mud façade.

The façade was ruined completely by Jacob Selmak's jesting reverberating tone of Selmac but was quite obviously Jacob's humor, "Nah, he just didn't like being named after a flying horse."

There were a few chuckles and good laughs as it didn't take any imagination to prove which one was more accurate.

'_**One is just an excuse for the other.' **_Xander was sure. Then he felt it and it was tied to the name Per'sus. The word had triggered something almost primal and vicious.

Xander focused closing his eyes. _**'There it is' **_he thought and his eyes opened and widened as Major Graham started to fight the controlling influence. The major was the source of the primal and vicious emotion; it was there because he didn't like being controlled physically and having nothing that he could do about it.

Xander didn't waste time, he'd felt the protocols in the man's head and knew that suicide was the next step, success or failure.

The soldier was not a major part of the crowed so Xander's arrival thru the side door was mostly unnoticed. "Impedimenta!" he hissed from behind the man.

Xander's stupefy was not up to par enough to knock out an ant, much to his frustration. Slowing things in motions seemed to work just fine.

'_**General.' **_He sent. Hammond turned surprised to see him. _**'This man has an invading mental presence and will likely suicide if not dealt with before that can happen. He was ordered to kill Per'sus, I believe. I can check him out more thoroughly after the party is over.'**_

General Hammond winced at the voice in his head and nodded as he didn't have the means of communicating back, though he did try, _**'I don't know if you can hear my thinking at you, but if you can please secure him in med-bay?'**_

'_**I'm on it. I'm sensing that he wasn't the only one mentally tampered with. I'm picking up the Major's mental shout about a P6Y-325 and a Lieutenant Anton that he's worried about as well.'**_

He nods to Xander. Xander plus one vanish to the medical bay through the use of a portkey he had on in him. He had seven of them just in case the worst might happen. After he informed Janet Frasier what was going on he went to collect Lieutenant Anton, a very nice young woman, who was currently off duty.

They both were unmoving in medical bay under Doctor Frasier's care before Xander was back at the monitors. Dawn, who was assisting him today, was watching in his absence and could have easily sent him a mental message if anything had occurred. She'd joined him not just as an assistant but also because she had several things she wanted to talk to Dr. Frasier about after the party. Hopefully the Prolong treatment would soon have a place in the local medical lab along with ReGen as well.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Everything seemed to be running on task with the party until the President showed up. Xander wasn't sure exactly what gave him the hint that something was wrong this time; it wasn't the thoughts as much as some subconscious instinct. He flamed out instantly; this was a first for him. He'd seen Fawkes flame travel but had never even considered trying it. It was one of the things that Giles had thought might be possible with training but they had no written instructions for it.

It was because he hadn't been expecting it that he was temporarily lost in the ether before he finally understood exactly what he'd done and that it could never truly be instructed upon to those that did not have the instinct. This realization could have taken hours in relative time to Xander in the ether but in the real world it had only been a microsecond of time.

Honing in on what he'd felt prior to flaming, he found it. It was one of the Tok'ra who had been fighting itself. Looking closer in the thought patterns he realized that it was the Tok'ra as well as the host's mind against an invading presence. This was far too similar to Major Graham for Xander's liking and when he reappeared, he was directly behind the Tok'ra.

His flaming in had more than one observer looking over at him. "Fight it" he told him ignoring the others. "I'm here if you fail, I won't let it happen, but you are mentally stronger than a single human mind, fight it."

Suddenly the Tok'ra fell to his knees. Xander picked him up and vanished to the medical bay in a flash of flame.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"I take it there is something wrong with him," Per'sus asked the doctor.

Both Anise and Carter were there with concern as well. The party had quickly ended with the president signing the treaty and making little in the way of small talk. Several of the guests had wanted to be here with the patient in the medical bay.

"I'm not really sure but whatever it is, is affecting all three of them."

"Mind control" Xander informed them. "I'm not sure what, but I can pull out the memories of what triggered it for these two. I'm at a loss for Martouf and Lantash but I know he's in pain because he's fighting it off, both of them are working together even now that he's immobilized. That ring" he gestures to the side table, "Is a weapon, an assassin's weapon and he only started to lose control when the President was announced."

Anise whispered half harshly half in awe, "A Za'tarc!"

Xander frowns, "Pardon?"

Getting a read on so many Goa'uld was hard but he knew what she said was important.

"A Za'tarc is a type of mind control that I believe they have been subject to, they will find some way, now that they failed, to self destruct."

Thinking of an implanted device he asks, "Do you know if it's all mental after the programming is done?"

"I believe it is." She nodded. "The tool to implant them would leave no physical trace."

Xander turns, "General Hammond?"

The general wasn't sure how to handle this but knew what he was asking.

"Jack they are under your command." He half smiled at the disgruntled Jack O'Neill.

Finally Jack asks Xander, "Will you be able to remove it?"

"I don't know but I can try and find it at least."

"Do it, but Dr. Frasier can you monitor them while he does it?"

Janet nods and asks, "What is he going to do?"

Xander answers for him, "I'm going to go into Major Graham's mind and see if I can find and remove the trigger."

Janet sighs as that much she could have guessed already. She really wanted to know exactly how he was going to it and worse still she knew that he knew what she wanted and was asking and was being deliberately facetious.

The guests were watching silently, Xander focused and muttered the Legilimens incantation which wasn't exactly needed but would assist his focus on this particular task. It was three minutes of silent effort before he barked out a command, "Pensieve!"

Dawn was there instantly and had already retrieved the one they'd made for the EDC when Lynnea regained her memories.

Lynnea was watching them curiously as well but she knew of his ability before this from personal experience.

There was a white almost gray substance that Xander removed from the left temple. "I would recommend watching it privately!" his voice held the edge of disgust.

He then turned and delved into Major Graham's mind once more. The first strand had been separated already but this time four more strands were put into the Pensieve they were the same as the first but less influence. He did this until there was nothing left to pull out of that particular memory.

"What is that you are removing from their heads?" Bra'tac asked.

"Usually these will hold a solidified memory. Or memory given physical form, which takes on a pure white reflection; I've never seen a gray one before, which is why I would recommend utilizing the projection aspect of the Pensieve when you watch it." He told that to Jack. "The memory of the implantation by a false god needed to be removed several times before I could find the actual compulsion and remove it. I would still recommend the Major not have any personal contact with the Tok'ra, as a precaution. I think he has more then enough strength of will to fight it if it again comes to the surface but sometimes in the heat of battle soldiers rely on their instincts first and thoughts second." He sent the Tok'ra an apologetic smile.

"We take no offence from this; perhaps a few sit downs with the young man in a controlled setting will assist. Are you going to be able to help Martouf and Lantash?"

"I'll help the Lieutenant first, those two are still fighting it and that will mean less work for me and a stronger defense for him, besides entering a mind of both a host and a symbiote is much tougher than a single minded individual."

They didn't ask, but Xander could feel they were curious as to how he knew that.

It took only a single entry of memory from Anton because the programming was not yet triggered. Lantash and Martouf were both readily willing to let Xander enter their minds. It was quite a different work out for the young man and instead of removing it they started to destroy it, Xander utilizing his flame generating ability while inside the mind was a new thing and he'd have to check that out later with enemies rather than wise allies.

After the triggers were destroyed he removed the single white strand.

"Finite," he whispered, "You feeling alright now?"

"Thank you for your assistance Xander, without you I have no doubt I would have been killed already."

"Na, you had it on the run. Granted it would have taken longer but don't ever underestimate the adaptive powers of a being made up of almost one hundred percent brain matter."

The eyes of Martouf glowed as he laughed.

"It is good that you are well" Anise said to the Tok'ra. "I have never met someone that could overcome a Za'tarc before." She looked Xander up and down and licked her lips.

Xander shivered and moved slightly back and behind Dawn as if hiding from the big bad wolf. Dawn giggled.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The after party which had picked up after the excitement in the medical bay was quite informal and there was no added need for security. Xander, the Tok'ra, SGC, Hammond, Lynnea, and the Orban had all joined together while Dawn, Janet, and Bra'tac stayed in the medical bay to oversee the testing and if Bra'tac was willing attempt to use the Dargol Pesticide Youth Serum also called the Elixir. It was a give that they were going to use ReGen after words followed by the Prolong. They removed the symbiote while they did this.

After the elder man had started to de-age, his hair had stayed gray but his skin had looked fresher and he was indeed younger. This was not a gas which affected even the hair itself but a shot. There was also an ointment that could be put on and then washed off for areas of skin that was damaged from age or overuse, but with the Jaffa this wasn't likely to be needed as the Primta would have helped with that previously. With the Elixir obviously working they waited for the agent to neutralize which the system Bill Lee install informed them of. The ReGen was efficient enough to regenerate the area of the Pouch and rebuilt the immune system. After that it was time for the Prolong treatment. Dawn hoped Xander was enjoying himself as she was even if some of it was rather boring in a wait and see type of way.

The stations for the Prolong and ReGen worked great and Janet had found that the young girl almost Cassandra's age was quite skilled and mature.

"It seems" Bra'tac said solemnly, "that everything is working as it should. I can not thank you enough; this might go a long way to helping my people." He gave a half bow.

Dawn nods then reminds him, "Just remember that if you get hurt that you need to see to it rather than let your Primta assist."

"Indeed I will, though some might not wish to remove the Primta." He gives her a disappointed frown, "Some have grown too accustomed to strength given to them and do not wish to acquire it on their own merit."

"Yea, I know people like that." Dawn agreed thinking, _**'Didn't Xander say that Egeria was a queen here, I wonder what happened to her here.'**_

Janet spoke up, "You handled that well Dawn, how old are you anyway?"

She winced. "I'm sixteen, soon to be seventeen," she added there wasn't any way for her to verify that, besides she wasn't on her world any longer so it wasn't like that mattered much.

Janet was surprised and voiced it, "Wow."

Bra'tac smiled. "Indeed, to be as young as you are and so proficient is a testament to your blood and character."

"Thanks" she blushed slightly.

"You know Cassandra is fifteen or thereabouts…" Janet was thinking that Dawn would be a good influence.

Bra'tac asks her, "Is she on Prometheus?"

Janet nodded. "Her and Jon… Jack I guess, are going to be visiting LeVelle Manor I think, that's what Xander said."

Bra'tac hesitantly stated, "Xander is… quite powerful. I am thankful that he does not profess to godhood."

Dawn grins mischievously, "Only in the sack." She smirked hoping to catch the composed man in a blush, "But then it's us girls giving him claim to godhood."

Bra'tac lifts an amused eyebrow; he was far too old to have a young lady maneuvering him into losing his bearing.

Janet however was completely shocked. "He…" she couldn't form words

Janet's stumble caught Dawn's attention and she blushed before giving the doctor a shrug, "Oh I was emancipated before we got together and he's only a year and half older than me."

"He is quite young." Bra'tac didn't let the surprise show, "I would not have guessed his age."

"He's only eighteen then?" the tone of the doctor was one that was asking for reassurance.

"Yea, but don't let his age fool you, he can be anything he feels the need to be."

Curiously Bra'tac inquires, "Feels the need to be?"

"Yes – a comforter, counselor, lover, killer, mediator, a class-clown…" She shrugged as she led off as if to say the list was never ending.

"He's…" Dr. Frasier was going to ask what she meant by killer but realized that he was too young to be soldier here but he was (obviously after what he'd done) a soldier of some sort. She was still on edge about his age verses experience but would talk to General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill about it later.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The night wore on even if the Summit was officially over. The only difference was that now with the official business over the security was easily toned down. Xander ended up conversing with a number of people. The Orbanians for example had found the young hero to be quite entertaining.

Jack had thought _**'This entire thing has been quite well put together. Next time I'll need to invite Xander and not just for security. Although the security was much better than I'd ever hope to expect. Still, it gives me the shivers to know he can just enter a mind at will.'**_

The memories Xander had shared had the planet the SG-14 had been captured on and he was planning to have some words with the Goa'uld if they were still there. He was also going to be helping the Tok'ra deal with the location Martouf had been captured from. They had the location of their former high commander, Garshaw of Belote. It turned out that Martouf and Lantash had discovered some information on her whereabouts in the hidden memory of his captivity.

'_**It's very surprising that nobody's asked how the hell Xander appeared in a pillar of fire.'**_ Jack thought, _**'I might ask another time but not right now!'**_ The young man has built up quite a mystique and Jack was not going to pull the curtain on that.

For Hammond, he'd found Xander's sense of humor to be very similar to Jack's but he'd also noticed it was often tailored to exclude the stunts that would be found to be more distasteful. George took up a conversation with Xander shortly after they returned to the after Summit Party. He somehow ended up talking to him about his wife, who died in 93, his daughter and her two children that the rogue NID had taken an interest in. That seemed to be the starter to share about the school he was setting up 'on base' even if he wasn't running it.

"Maybe we could have a join class with them on occasion, right now we have about two thirds of the day that is devoted to education though only two classes as classes a week."

"That might be arranged…"

"Um general" Kalan spoke up, "We too would like to have some students attending classes; we are not yet up to any standards on our education."

General Hammond smiled and nodded. "I think that can be arranged. I'll get in contact with you the day after tomorrow we can set up some classes that are a bit more universal."

Lynnea thought she might also submit some children to be taught by the Tau'ri, it would be a wise move.

Hammond felt a small headache start to form as the extra work he just volunteered for became apparent to his conscious mind. Then Xander had that damnable smirk on his face that half said 'sorry' and half 'better you than me'.

"Maybe we can also ensure what you're teaching is amiable Xander?"

"Sure, I'm sure Angel and Joyce would love to teach an art class. Egeria and Willow might prefer something akin to hyperspace physics or is it Hyperphysics?" He shrugs and smiles at the turn around.

A couple heads turned to glance at him; 'Egeria' was a name that they knew well. They would ask later; perhaps they would attend a class as well. Hammond realized that Xander wasn't one of the teachers and was only half relieved at the shot of chaos that avoided.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"Did you have fun at the party?" Dawn asked leaning into Xander's chest as they waited for Jack and Cassandra by Allen and Harriet's Door.

"I did. You know I think the school thing they started here is going to be a good thing. I've volunteered to ask Joyce and Angel if they were willing to teach art for General Hammond. Maybe we can attend a few classes. I'm still not sure we're all up to college standard and it would be nice to have some validation to our education. Prometheus School of Outer Space sounds rather cool."

"Really" Jack the younger said from behind Xander. He'd approached quietly and if his intent had been to startle Xander. He didn't succeed. Dawn jumped in surprise though.

Smirking at Jack Xander nodded, "Yea. You ready for an overnight adventure? Dawn here is using big needles now."

"No I'm not. I'm not even going to need a blood sample. I'm just going to set the Prolong and check for issues the Asgard left, though they would be better suited to check now that they have the medical information we sent them."

"Na" Xander shook his head. "From what I understand they're still working on correcting their own health issues, granted they have a good grasp on the general use of most of what we sent them. A good portion of their population was in stasis and now they need to work at reintroducing them to life."

Jack asks him, "How do you know so much about the Asgard anyway?"

It was then that Cassandra showed up.

"We don't, not really. Only what Egeria shared from her reality and what Harriet and Allen sent over. You ready Miss Frasier?" he asked primly and she flushed, she has four _large_ bags with her.

Jack groans as he starts to help with two of them. Xander took the other two causing Dawn to grin widely.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

**AN**: _This was a bit longer than expected and didn't have as much detail in some things as I wanted but I think it got the points across._


	7. Chapter 7

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Beta by cj_cold

Chapter 7:

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

In the realm the LeVelle Manor was within it orbited Epsilon III. Only a short number of weeks had gone by since the news had told the story of the Narn/Centauri unity in their stand against the _'terrorists'_. It was quite ironic the way that the news had been blown out from the first story. The use of the term terrorist had sparked a number of other such terms. The two that were most prominent were _'fear mongers'_ and _'butchers'_. It hadn't taken much for the newsies to take the ball and run with it. After it broke the stands anything that started to promote war or escalate minor conflicts was tagged and labeled the same or similar.

Just observing the realm that Allen and Harriet were in along side of the realm the Manor seemed to show an almost synchronization of events, or at least the feeling the events were singling out. The EDC had the Treaty Summit around the same timeframe the Centaurum and Populum announced their findings concerning the resent upheaval and the result of the Centaius Protocols.

Emperor Turhan and the Prime Minister had presented uncontested proof of several traitors, hidden terrorists, within their peers and associates. The total of the presented evidence was read out; there were fifty two house lords implicated of which several died while being interrogated. This was not uncommon but the way they shared the information rather than sighting the harsh interrogation they let the general public and the two legislative branches believe that they died under some unknown suicide protocols which increased the belief in the guilt of the hidden terrorists. The survivors that were involved in anyway with the attack on Narn civilians were turned over with the evidence for trial and eventual execution. This was also to support the trial of those that were directly involved in the conflict and further a united front. To show that the Emperor was serious about this, at least to the Centaurum and Populum, he even exposed a relative that was within the opposition's pocket, not that they knew that last bit.

It was very unlikely that there would be any political resistance within the Centaurum and Populum to the new regime for the foreseeable future. The only drawback according to the Emperor's message Xander had read was _"I really dislike being compared to the first Centauri Emperor."_

Xander had read the history of the Emperor for which Turhan had mentioned, for which he had included the data chip for. The message was relayed through the security on Babylon 5. Xander, after reading it, had to agree that it was showing the current Emperor in a rather poor light.

Almost directly after he'd received the messaged he had thought on it. _**'I'm glad I sent him that Iris in this last package, the time it took to get here to Babylon 5 and Chief Garibaldi is hardly a glorified secretary… besides it would be good for the Emperor to get away if he needed to, in both senses of the words.'**_

Reading the minutes of the speech the Emperor and Prime Minister had given the two houses he could easily see the facts of the events being cold and dispassionately hard. They were calling into question the honor of the blood within the traitors, and those who supported the treason, questioning their hearts and reasoning skills. It was the encrypted message to Xander which had also shared information concerning Londo Mollari.

The Ambassador had not been subjected to interrogation in the parts he'd played, this was because of other's influence on his behavior and plans that had been put into place for those actions before Londo and Refa had met the first time. The reasoning officially was that any collusion he'd done was purely peripheral, utilized zero assets within the Centauri people, and when it came out he'd fully supported the Centauri rather than those that may have provided safety, especially if he was the middle man for those that attacked Quadrant 37. The Narn had already investigated the outpost and claimed that it was the Shadows, an old enemy, and therefore gave the Centauri an out. He also informed the Ambassador according to the encrypted message that this 'courtesy' was his single free pass and it would not occur again.

Xander briefly wondered at that. He admitted that after the Summit on the Prometheus he had some interest in politics but now that he was thinking of the recent history of the Narn and Centauri, _**'It's almost like they are closing a chapter of history that is similar to the cold war between the United States and USSR.'**_

Xander was sure that Londo knew of his awareness of his recent message and knew he'd have to continue treading that fine line he'd been trying to the last few decades. The idea of peace was appealing to the old Centauri once Refa's influence had abated. Londo's aid, Vir, was starting to have quite a positive affect on the Ambassador for his people.

It was when he got the message concerning the Emperor's last political action that he'd started to spend a few evenings a week on Babylon 5. A way to unwind a bit, but also a desire for company outside the family, not to mention a method of understanding the current political situations among the different races. The unwind bit had been because in the short amount of time after he'd received the message from the Emperor, Cassandra and Jack had been staying at the Manor and the young lady Cassandra had brought with her a very girlish mindset which really pushed on Xander's nerves when he was overly exposed.

Cassandra had taken to giggling with the other girls at the Manor while Jack escaped to the Joyce to 'learn the flight systems'. If Xander timed it right he could have Cassandra and a few others in either Blasedale or on _The_ _Joyce_ running a simulation to learn the controls when he returned. He had this feeling that if he pushed his senses he might find that Cassandra was often spying on their sex life thru their bedroom keyhole. He supposed it was good for Dawnie to have another girl to talk to but it was quite nerve-racking for him.

'_**At least this next week they'll be going to the Prometheus School of Outer Space for some classes and I can have some peace and quiet at the Manor, for at least a short time. I wonder if Aura and Nancy will stand up to Frank and his wife about going. I can understand him wanting his daughter to at least spend a few days a week at school, it isn't like they need it but some people want to have that normalcy in their life.'**_

Today Xander was having a pint with Ambassador G'Kar and Ambassador Mollari and despite the suspicion he found he'd like them both. Michael had shared his drinks often however he usually wasn't drinking alcohol. Xander had to respect that due to the strong desire he'd felt from the man to drink. He made a mental note to ensure he had one of the anti intoxication inhalers from Manticore for him if he ever gave in. Denying the buzz from the drinking might break the conditioned response an alcoholic suffers. Garibaldi wasn't the only thing he was paying attention to, he notice the kinship that he felt emanating off G'Kar but it was kinship in both sides of his personality, the helping hand and vicious hand that dealt death and justice. He looked at his own interaction with the people here and realized he'd projected that kinship as well.

The last three days Xander had been spending a majority of his time working on the Irises, though Jack or Cassandra being guests had taken up almost as much. The two guests had enjoyed the two three-hour classes they'd had since arriving and both had thought the alternative method of learning from the current public school systems was much easier and more personal. The fact that they had different realms that had already established different histories and laws of physics meant a very diverse understanding of them from an outsider's observational setting.

From Xander's soul searching he understood that Jack never quite liked physics in school but found learning the practical side of it much easier to understand. Not that Jack hadn't understood it before, only that he didn't like the way it was explained and almost made him feel stupid if he tried to explain how he personally understood it. Relaying information you've learned using different words is one point of education that they were all sure was lacking on Earth.

One task that the two were working on with Willow, Egeria, and Cordelia was to consolidate teaching material from the different worlds so they could put together some information packages for PSOS which would include every age level. Eric's class level was already set up on the Prometheus, at least for arts and crafts. He loved the fact that he was with other children the last two days he'd spent there.

Cordelia had not been idle in her own projects and has spent quite a bit of time with Frank, Janet, Amy, and Michael, in Blasedale or on her own. She'd put in quite a few visits to Manticore and was also constantly visiting and conversing with Willard. Willard had been quite surprised by her arrival and her help in a few things as she learned more about Manticore's social hierarchy and how it compared to other star nations or even Grayson.

Of course part of Cordy's interest in the political and social standing was because of Xander's visit from the Emperor thru the Iris on _The Joyce_. The Emperor had been quite surprised by the trip and Xander's explanation. It had made the Emperor very secure in his confidence with the recent political changes. The Iris was similar to the one he'd seen Xander had given G'Kar in his presence before the battle and had been installed in a secure area.

As Xander took a drink and altered the subject of their conversation towards a more humorous anecdote of Emperor Turhan's visit and the introduction to Twinkies. He'd shared his Willow's ire at encouraging Turhan to eat them the only way that was worth it. Xander always had a way of making the Emperor seem so very human and funny without disrespecting him and Londo found it very refreshing.

"So I gave him a Twinkie and he ate it just like I…" Xander froze mid-sentence his back stiffening in surprise. The surprise showed plainly on Xander's face before it was clouded with anger and rage. Michael leaned back a touch as the boy turned sharply.

Ever since Xander had visited Prometheus during the Treaty Summit, he'd constantly set his mind to full alert whenever he was in public, it was the soul searching that let him soak up the information and feel of the people but it was similar. He had never before felt such a fierce darkness trying to enter his mind. It was not that way with the Shadow ship in jumpspace, as it had not entered his mind at all. If he took the time right then to consider his past, the influence of the hyena, and his read on the Primta they removed from Teal'c and Bra'tac's pouches it would still over shadow them with pure vileness! That was how evil he felt this entity was. Add to that he'd felt as the runic band he wore actually heated up as its' defense became pushed to their limits by the invasion of darkness.

Xander turned not even noticing the snarl on his face as whirled around to face the darkness that dared to attack his mind. _**'There, two demons slightly out of phase!'**_

He knew they were the ones attacking his mind. Almost unconsciously he started to move, his body inwardly shifting but Xander was consciously forcing himself not to shift into his Treecat form. His muscles solidified as he readied and then he pounced.

It was as though Xander was flying thru the air. The crowd watched in shock as a blade appeared in the young man's hand and then a formerly invisible creature started to screech and scream as Xander cut its throat. With one dead he took aim and pitch the blade with deadly accuracy at another demon shadow that was the only place it seemed to be vulnerable with a finite amount of force. The blade sunk into the center of the demonic looking head and the room was silent a moment.

Xander stood and glared at the man with shadows. His words were hissed so low as to not be carried throughout the room, "Who are you?"

Morden stared at the man with shocked silence.

Garibaldi was already calling security, but the presence of the 'Shadows' had given him pause, remembering Sinclair's words on a message chip recently. The Chief wasn't about to try to take Xander in. No the security was for the man that Xander was now standing an inch and a half away from.

"I won't ask you again, where did you come from, where did they come from?" He slammed his mind into the man's thoughts and got it.

"Your soul and that of your wife's has already been damned, you would have done well to resist the influence of demons. When you gave in, you gave them your soul and the same could be said for your wife. I pray they only killed your daughter that she might find some peace in the afterlife." The man's face showed his horror and it wasn't something Xander reviled in.

Garibaldi orders the security, "Arrest that man; put him in a holding cell."

They moved and Morden didn't resist. It wasn't even ten seconds later Mollari asks, "What are those?"

He was pointing at the dead spiders.

It was Ambassador G'Kar who answered, "Shadows."

Xander turns to him. "Your people have history with these demons?" He knew from the Emperor that the Narn believed they were an old foe but there wasn't much to go on for that and until now he'd never thought of them as demons.

G'Kar nods and tells him, "An ancient enemy in a war a thousand years ago; we believe they were who attacked the outpost in Quadrant 37."

Mollari felt faint, _**'Demons and shadows? What horrors did I almost leash my people to?'**_

Xander felt this was an important moment but wasn't exactly sure why, aside from the fact that he'd killed two demons in 'broad daylight'. He did what he always did when he felt these moments and acted on them.

Seeking an opening he asks the Narn, "Do you think we can go over those histories together?"

G'Kar grins, giving him a gesture before glancing back at the creatures that seemed almost made of shadow. "How did you know they were there?"

Xander pulled out his necklace, "I have protection against those that would invade my mind."

Garibaldi made a mental note, _**'I'll have to ask Xander for one of those, later, no doubt they're made with magic but did it have to be runes, the one thing it doesn't seem I can learn? Damn it!'**_

None of his frustration showed in his tone as he told Xander, "I need to report to the captain about this." he gestures, "Thank you Xander" he was contemplating _**'These Shadows could have killed or infiltrated the minds of anyone in the area.'**_ and shook his head to clear away the bad thought, _**'It doesn't pay to worry about things past that can't be changed and are already over.'**_ "You've any idea how to… dispose of them, I mean without…" _**'I'd rather not touch them if they are like that ship on Mars was.'**_ "I don't want any of my people playing host to anything they might be carrying."

Xander pulled out a Zat and tossed it to him. The chief smiled and shot the two spiders three times each, they vanished and he sighed.

"I better go…" he went to toss the Zat back.

Xander waived him off, telling him, "Keep it for now."

Garibaldi wondered why he was giving it to him but he put it into his belt and left to report to the Captain.

Turning to Ambassador G'Kar, Xander asks him, "You feel like hosting a research party?"

It was Londo that inquired, "What is a 'Research Party'?"

Xander smiled at the Centauri. This was what he felt earlier. He was sure of it. It was the change of heart, the tipping point or shatterpoint of events and free will that changes a man's path. A moment in time when a man steps back from the abyss and allies with those that would seek to harm others. Somehow he knew the man, the Centauri in front of him was one such shatterpoint and his destiny would affect so many others. Perhaps the internal voice crying for redemption for sins past would lend their burden to the conscious mind of Londo Mollari.

Londo was thinking of his sins past, the deal he'd made for the ill heart with Morden.

"If you have the history books, I would say we all go to your place and I will let my girls know and we can all order some pizza and donuts and read your books, maybe we can even find mention of them in other books."

"I would like that!" G'Kar admitted. "Perhaps we could invite Ambassador Delenn? I have a feeling she was also approached by Morden. She rejected him soundly. I admit I did not." He looked down.

"I did not either, my friend, to my shame." Mollari told him, he meant it too, times had changed and he hoped that the wrongs he'd wrought had started to be repaired, on all accounts.

G'Kar looked up and knew there was something there, in the past; he'd suspected that Mollari had something to do with the incident in Sector 37 – the Quadrant 158 outpost. He however was not going to mention it with the unparalleled support the Emperor and the Centauri were giving them. He would not and could not hold it against him now. Now that he was sure of the man's newly found focus. It would not do to speak of peace and hold a grudge for what was done before the times had changed and he was sure that times hadn't changed before the arrival of the Emperor of the Centauri. He was also sure that peace would not last, if it was even here now. It was simply that the enemy was not the Centauri but the Shadows. He could almost taste the bitter scent of manipulation and wondered how much of the Centauri occupation was the Shadows' doing and how much of it was the Centauri themselves. Perhaps now that they found a common enemy they could unite in the way that they had defending the Narn Colony.

It was not the first time the two had seemed to find a common ground, but it was the first time that they had found one so wholeheartedly. Perhaps it was a significant thing that it was also the first time they journeyed to LeVelle Manor. For Xander this was a test to see if they would be able to cross the wards under their own power. He wasn't sure if they would have been able to previously. Even G'Kar had that feel of a politician wanting something and the wards might well pick that up as intension to hold influence but then again it might not as it was not directly harmful or malicious with that intent.

The research party had only started in G'Kar's quarters but quickly moved to LeVelle Manor. They had a number of hard copy histories as well as computer readers which he was going to have to purchase he was sure, and a very large white board that they'd been using for classes in which now held a timeline drawn with marker.

Delenn had been followed by John, then Ivanova, Keffer, and Michael. The pilot, Warren Keffer, was a surprise addition as he'd only had a few drinks with Xander over the last two weeks or so. He had however come because he had heard of the Shadows Xander killed and was pretty sure it was related to the ship he felt had slighted him when one of his friends died at the business end of one its kind.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander had been thankful when he'd arrived on the Manor that Cassandra and the others had already left to help set up some of the classrooms on Prometheus. If they were just on _The_ _Joyce_ it would have been far too easy for them to interrupt the research session. The Joyce still had a 'fire watch', a live person to keep watch on any situations. Radios, if they were close enough to the Iris could let them know but to get thru they'd have to flood the area, the way they did on Babylon 5 for the personal comms stuck to the back of most of their hands. Michael had even set up a relay on this side of the Iris to ensure B5 communication traffic could be relayed while they were researching.

"We now have a timeline outlined at least," Giles spoke to the group trying to be reassuring but his voice didn't quite match his intent as he added, "We also have a number of inconsistencies."

The group was listening attentively, nobody questioned the idea that they needed information to win a war and they were definitely at war.

"As far as advantages the Shadows have their technological ability, the spider like physical form as a race, they prefer to influence and control other races as puppets, there are rumors of some kind of hive mind communication ability, and of course they thrive on the aggressiveness, fear, and conflict of others."

They all nod, that was what they could determine.

Delenn pointed out, "They are telepathic and have some minor prescience."

Giles nods. "They are also enemies of the Vorlon who are as old as, or maybe even older than, these demonic Shadows."

Nobody corrected the name adjustment, after all if they shift phase they are shifting dimension and they are behaving similar to demons.

Xander pointed out, "Their ships were able to be defeated using telepaths a thousand years ago, nearing the end of the last Great War."

G'Kar nodded with a touch of worry. "It cost us dearly. I doubt we have the genetic variation to ever have telepathic Narns again."

"Do you have any remains of them?" Dawn asked. "There aren't very many laws in this realm concerning cloning. Perhaps if we can find the correct Narn genetics for telepathy, we can clone a few and reintroduce telepathy into the Narn population, and is it just the Narn telepaths that they targeted? If so, why was it just theirs?"

That raised an interesting question.

Delenn was at a quandary and voiced it, "I know we did have telepaths during that time period as well and I assume they were used, but only after Valen arrived."

"He is a prophet mentioned, a Minbari not born of Minbari" Xander glanced at her hair and she flushed just a bit. "We don't need to know about that for the current issue." Xander amended his former question. He understood that Valen was likely this Sinclair that they'd just received word from; he really disliked time travel affecting causality.

"I'm going to set up a number of runic arrays to send out pulses of telepathic energy. This should disrupt any Shadows in the area. I'll stick with positive emotions – love, joy, serenity, and laughter. I'll work on some necklaces or bracelet straps so all of you will have some kind of runic defense to help reinforce your mind against intrusions and against any mental suggestions. It won't help keep thoughts being pushed out of the holder's head, in fact" he glanced at Michael, "if you push your thoughts at a telepath or at anyone you can speak to their mind. I would recommend only doing it to someone with a runic strap so they can talk back." He'd already moved the number of Irises and Portable Holes fabricated into the triple digits so he was ready to move onto another monotonous task having to do with runes.

"Talk in your head, right?"

He nodded to G'Kar who was contemplative, he briefly wondered what these runes were that they were talking about, but he would ask another time. Londo was also curious but he was far too enchanted in defeating this darkness, it would bring Centauri pride and glory to overcome such a fierce foe.

"The more you use them the more your mind will grow accustomed to it."

"This will help against the Psi Corps as well?" Ivanova asked.

Xander almost glared at her not for the question, she realized, but he'd learned a bit about Psi Corps.

"Next time they come to the station I wouldn't mind have a short… _chat_, with them. I'll find out everything they know and if they are as evil as I think they are, I'll wipe their ability from their mind," he growled.

Ivanova leaned back a bit. "Can you do that?" she asked, "eliminate the ability completely?"

"It's an advanced form of Legilimency" Dawn told her not wanting to reveal the fire elemental ability within the mind to burn out synapses. "He could do it but it would be very painful for them, as it would be like surgically implanting ear plugs into a persona's ears without anesthesia. It isn't just the instant pain, it's a pain that there is no relief for after the initial shock and pain is gone." She paused. "It would be different if they did it at birth, just locked the talent away, but it would still be something that made them less then they are, it would be like preventing a wonderful singer from ever singing a song, or a doctor forced to be a soldier never treating a single wound." She shook her head. "No it isn't something nice to do; it would only be done if they were abusing their talent."

"We do have a telepath on Babylon 5 but she helped the underground against Bester" there was a definite emotion in Susan's voice there.

"I'll look into it and make sure she doesn't have any triggers. She was raised with them right?" he was thinking of some advanced mental only technique of what he'd recently dealt with at the Summit.

Susan looked shocked and then nodded slowly.

"That would be a good idea; in fact do you think you could check all of us for any triggers?"

Londo was silent. He didn't like the idea of anyone in his head but he wouldn't raise a fuss.

"I doubt you have any or you couldn't have come here. If you do they are deep and subtle so it wouldn't be subverting your control. The runes will help eliminate that without my having to snoop in your head. She however might have a completely enclosed secondary personality; one that she willing at the time accepted which would negate the runic defense. No, with a telepath that had years to become indoctrinated, they had years to fine-tune it to the point that only a telepath should be able to even realize it."

They all wince at that. "Are you actually a telepath?"

He smiles. "Genetically no, I was exposed to an aspect of a demon. The aspect activated areas of my mind that allows telepathy. More precisely it forced my mind to hear every individual thought, within hundreds of miles loud and distinct, simultaneously. There is a reason we utilize the runes the way we do. With use, they strengthen that area of the mind like exercising a muscle. I had to strengthen my mind before I went insane from the voices. The fact that every sentient mind has the potential to be telepathic regardless of the genetic predisposition, tells me that with work you can achieve a mild generic mental ability. You, no doubt, will never be a full range telepath but that doesn't mean that your mind won't have its own mental fortitude. I'm actually looking forward to the pain a telepath would be in if they tried to do a deep scan on my mind."

John shivers at the thought, but didn't raise a protest. "I don't much care for the Psi Corps…" was all he said; Delenn took his hand in hers and he smiled.

"Telepathy is like any other talent, there are those that are really good at reading people and they can become good soldiers that know exactly what to say to their troops, detectives that solve crimes, or they can become evil politicians that don't care for their family, their people, or their planet, except for what it can do for them personally."

Ivanova winces. "My mother was telepathic, and I've always thought I had a slightly latent talent."

Xander shrugs. "Like I said, every sentient being has the potential to work their mind to be at least talented enough to pick up on stray thoughts."

Sheridan leaned back looking at the three ambassadors and laughs. "You know they built Babylon 5 to help build peace." He gestures towards the station that could be seen thru the window. "It's a place to sit down and hash out political issues peacefully; I just realized that without Kosh here, we're only one Ambassador short of a full meeting."

Delenn looked around at the shocked looks and giggled, she hadn't realized that she was giggling at first and that made her laugh.

Xander smiled a bit. He hadn't realized that he'd basically become friends with the representatives of the different races but he was thankful he had. If this world, this realm, was to be his new home, at least partially, he would have to make sure it was taken care of. The idea that these demons were in this realm made him wonder how close to his own realm this one was.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

After the research party, which wasn't nearly as complete as Xander would have liked, the group had agreed to keep the research confidential and keep an eye out for more information concerning the Shadows or their activity.

The next week Xander decided to work on the anti-Shadows positive emotion projector rather than spend more time on Babylon 5. He'd rather stick it out at LeVelle Manor or visited _The Joyce _or Blasedale than be surrounded by soon to be combating Marines. He'd only needed a single visit as the GROPOS were there (ground-pounders or jar-heads), to know he really didn't want to be around. They'd set his mind on edge, not just the being ready for violence and war, but they also made the soldier nostalgic. He'd only stopped by Captain Sheridan's quarters during that single visit to share with him what he'd picked up mentally from the single run-in with Franklin's father.

"I'm heading back to the Manor for a while, as you guys are busy enough here as is. I just thought I'd share a bit… the good doctor's father?" he got the attention of the Captain. "He wasn't given veto rights on this particular mission so he couldn't cancel it, and he wanted to. For some reason this entire operations feels like some kind of smoke screen or concession to him, but the help he feels you can give him might mean a difference between half his men and women coming home and ten percent of them."

Sheridan cursed and Xander nodded grimly and said, "At least they have two ships of Narn and Centauri to assist them. It might help put an end to the conflict that much quicker."

John nodded. "It isn't quite enough fighting there to be classified as a civil war, just a rebellion or revolution. The Matok have a faction that are rebelling against any outside influence, and wish to be completely isolationist even at the cost of any innocent commerce being killed to keep it that way."

"I'm going to let Keffer know that if it gets too cramped he can room in his old room at the Manor. With the Iris any signal should reach us."

"Thanks, though I'm not sure he will go, might feel a bit too much like kicking him out of his own home." John was smiling.

Xander nodded in understanding.

The Captain was right; Keffer thanked him for the offer but didn't take him up on it.

Xander understood before he'd returned thru Michael's quarters to the Manor that the combat was a smoke screen to install a weapons upgrade to Babylon 5 as well as an improved security system. He was sure that the emotion he'd felt from John that the Captain thought this was an attempt on his life via paperwork.

John felt the arrangements had been in place for the weapons upgrade before the hostilities had broken out and before there was peace between the Narn and Centauri. It was almost as though the plan was to use the heat between the Narn and Centauri as an excuse to arm Babylon 5. This would likely even serve to escalate the conflict between the two. The memorandum attached to the weapons brief still had the comparison to the weapons use as _enough firepower to affectively bear the brunt and defeat either a Narn or Centauri Warship_.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander's plans had altered a bit; he'd decided to visit Grayson after he'd talked with Michael and Frank in Blasedale. Frank was a business man willing to take advantage of any system that allowed him to get ahead but was taking his lead from Xander how he wanted the businesses handled. He truly liked it when his achievements brought more support for the group goals. It was better than simply keeping score with currency because he was fast learning the value of currency in different realms.

Frank helped write up a contract to modify the contract between LeVelle Industries on Grayson and Mayhew Steading to allow _The_ _Joyce_ a low rent lot-space on Orbital Four. He felt that he needed to pay rent if he was going to be leaving it there without working on the station.

Xander was now waiting to see the young Steadholder Mayhew.

Michael Mayhew's voice sounded, "Mr. LeVelle?"

Xander had noted the ever present armsmen and gave a half nod to them before addressing the young man he'd come to see, "Steadholder Mayhew, how have you been?"

"I'm doing well. What is it you needed?"

"Well" he paused. "I have some paperwork that I'd like to run past you in regards to our prior agreement. I've not been working very much these last three weeks aboard Orbital Four. I've had a number of things I'm doing both on my ship and on my own, and I'd like to leave _The_ _Joyce_ parked in the lot at Orbital Four. As I'm not actually working there I don't want to be seen as taking advantage of it. It isn't like I'm a war ship that can attack any Masada ships entering into range, if I was I wouldn't even bother with this. I'm already making loads more money then I've actually earned, so I figured setting up a lot rental fee wouldn't be out of the question."

He nodded and looked over the paperwork.

"I see. I understand Xander. I'll make sure it goes thru and is automatically attached to the LeVelle Industries accounts." He looked up.

Xander beamed, _**'I thought I was going to have to fight tooth and nail to get this done.'**_

"Before you go, my elder brother, the Protector, asked what your opinion was concerning Manticore's influence on Grayson society when negotiations for an alliance are successful. You are one of the few outsiders doing regular business with Grayson." He gestures to the chair.

Xander shrugs and sits. "I think they'll have significant impact on the standard of living of course, but if you do this, you do realize that the legal situation here on Grayson will have to be altered significantly over time. They will never see Grayson as equals until they know you see your women as equal. Oh I know" he waved off the young man's opening his mouth. "You see them as life givers, something to be worth much more then a single man. I understand that from living and working with Graysons, but Manticore isn't going to be changing out nodes with fellow workers. Some of them will be working with you but mostly they're going to see you as a whole outside of themselves. The fact that they might even understand the environmental impact on the society your people have established as part of your culture will only serve to irritate them as they don't have the same environmental imperatives."

"What do mean?"

"Pregnancy to Manticore might include tubing a child. There is no postpartum depression if they tube a child from sometime in their first trimester, or if they do it all from conception. Their women are life givers; that doesn't mean they must be _life_ _bearers_ as well. Some of the strongest people I have ever met have been female; they use females there as rulers, generals, and wives. They didn't have a thousand years of torment to bring their women to their knees in agony that only woman can feel; the loss of a life from her own womb. Even my wives understand it only peripherally, and that is only because they are able to empathize with the emotions of it. When they come in, the initial test will be if they subvert their nature to accommodate you. If they do that then any hope of being seen as equals will likely be lost for a great deal more time. If they bring a female captain, or have women in the crew it will be a good thing, as they will not be treating you with a pampered care."

The Steadholder agrees with a smile. "That will really stick in the craw of several of the Steadholders, but I've had a majority of my education so far off world. I'm hoping to head to Manticore in a few years time to attend their university; it would be helpful if by that time we've some kind of treaty established."

"Manticore will undoubtedly ensure many people doubt the current understanding of their faith. The tricky part will be to influence them in a way that will not make them doubt the faith itself instead only doubt their old understanding of it. If you do that they'll seek enlightenment rather than retribution."

Lifting an eyebrow he gives a relaxed smile. "I'll let my brother know. I was also wondering if you would care, you and your wives that is, to dine with myself and my brother this next weekend."

Xander agrees provisionally, "I'd like that. I'll talk to my wives first. I doubt they'll say no but if I say yes without telling them first." He shivered. "They have ways to get back at me and though I'm sure I'd enjoy them to some extent I'd rather just make sure they're alright with it."

The young Steadholder nodded. He wasn't married yet but he'd seen it enough.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Michael Garibaldi was pleased as he rested his head on his pillow. The GROPOS were gone which sort of made him sad. Shelia Dodger, he wasn't sure he'd ever see her again. She was a good woman, defended Delenn regardless of her species and then was rather forceful in her method of pursuit.

The chief grinned widely. He was a rather emotional man and might have wanted a more intimate relationship than just the physical but after being around Xander and his girls for quite a while he realized that sometimes release was what the female wanted, and of course the fact that he'd been worked up quite a bit from Xander's girls was not lost on the security chief.

Now with her gone he hoped he either gave her what she needed to survive relaxed or gave her a proper send off to 'the next great adventure' as Dawn had shared was what many of them considered death to be. He considered the morals of it and realized that he'd be kicking himself if he'd pushed for an emotional relationship and she'd died in combat.

As he was thinking that he hoped she would live and come back for another round, the chime sounded and he almost instinctively went to the door before he realized this was the chime for the Iris. The electronic signal went thru the Iris very well and it was a very polite way of asking to come in. He had realized the security leak the Manor represented almost right away and had indeed taken steps to secure his sleeping quarters against entry but he was fairly sure it was a redundant exercise.

He slipped on a robe; he had specifically gotten this robe to hang in his bedroom so he could greet any of the girls with some dignity. He glanced thru, "Hey?"

Xander grinned he could tell the chief was in a relaxed mood. "Hey Chief, I have the runic array set up. I did two types."

Garibaldi gestures at the room letting him know the floor was his. Xander taps the leather ball with his wand and it hovers into the air.

"The first setting is directional. This here rune I added to all the straps," Xander touches one of the runes so he knows, "lets the direction meet with the intent of whoever is in control. The control is guarded, first of all they have to be of their own mind, they have to have their own will directing it, and they have to have an honest intent. This means that it will work for anyone but someone with a stronger force of will does have an advantage in the control, other than that it's a first come first serve and if the stronger will is focused then he or she can continue to utilize the directional control but constant control will be draining."

"Draining how?"

"First of all it isn't energy. I mean this isn't feeding energy to it, but constant control is sort of like constantly being on alert, it causes mental fatigue. If you have several eyes keeping watch over this sector of space at the same time you might wish to recommend they practice trading off with mental cues. That way it will not become an issue. I think the Captain and Delenn will be able to utilize this method quite easily and as long as it isn't a constant or panicked focus, you won't have any control issues."

Michael nodded his understanding so far.

"The second setting is a personal area setting. It creates a bubble; I'm not sure about the exact range. It uses phoenix tears in the runes to add a touch of pure power. And the dragon hide of the ball is stitched together with unicorn hair. I would think one at both ends of the station would kill any Shadow that entered Babylon 5 but it might do that with it at one end alone."

They'd been able to have Dawn in her Animagus form to shed the tears as well as Fawkes. It was less difficult using Dawn's tears and Dawn's tears healed the same as Fawkes's did. Fawkes had enjoyed her trills and they'd sung beautifully.

Garibaldi nods. "I see, and it floats?"

Xander smiles at the half observation half question. "It has no real propulsion of its own." Then he added blandly, "I filled it with diamonds."

"Diamonds?" asked the chief cautiously, worry lacing his tone as images of some of the more unscrupulous residents of the station stealing the things passing through the ever present security aspect of his mind.

"They're synthetic so I doubt they're worth much, but each diamond has a single emoting rune engraved on it. They feed the runes on the outside and there are over a thousand. Several of the runes on the outside are set up as Patroni Runes; at least that's what I call them. They will activate if there is a great evil near the base. It's an automatic response and they produce a corporeal animal that looks like a ghost. I'm not sure on how that works or what animal it will take because the runes for the Patroni are untested."

"The rest are?" he asked.

He shrugs. "I tested the control runes; the blast is actually visible to magicals, the feeling…" he shivered with a smile. "Here" he blasted him and Michael's eyes widened.

"That's better than sex!" he blurted out then blanches as he realizes what he just admitted to, aloud. It made him feel rather 'incline towards the same sex' and he most assuredly wasn't.

"I wouldn't go that far." Xander smirked at the emoting Chief, then shrugs. "You might consider using it to help any coma patients or if someone suffering from extreme pain."

"How many of these do you have?"

"I'm making more diamonds and that's part of what's taking so long. The other is that I need to inscribe each one individually while pushing power into it. I don't usually have to push quite so much, in fact usually just a bit of magic trickles into the rune automatically. Diamonds, at least these ones, hold more magic than the usual mediums."

He nods. "I'll let the Captain know."

Xander returned his nod.

They'd made seven more machines to get the diamonds made and start converting power into raw materials. It was not an economical process but with the Naquadah Generator that Egeria and Willow brought back from art class on the Prometheus courtesy of the Orbanians attending, it was quite easily powered.

Egeria had shared that it was close to a 300 percent increase in efficiency compared to anything she'd seen from her realm and she was quite impressed by the design.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Preparing for the dinner with Protector Benjamin was something that Cordy seemed to love even if it wasn't something that was on the top of Xander's enjoyment list. The fashion on Grayson, while more femininely conservative, was much more to her liking than Manticore. She'd already looked into the current fashion of both male and female clothing to ensure that Xander was well prepared for the night.

Xander had gotten a feel for the Protector thru his younger brother, he knew that Steadholder Mayhew was young, very young, but had filled the role of a Key with vigor and determination. Xander also knew that Michael trusted Benjamin and relied on his council. The fact that Xander knew the reverse was just as true had him trusting the Protector just as much. It wasn't often that an adult was quite so open to advice or criticism from the younger people, sibling or not.

It was because of his understanding that Xander had spent quite some time working on his gift for them. Xander's gift for the Protector wasn't simple; it really was a work of art. The main body of the shaft held a number of runes that would help push-out and dislocate heavy metals to the center of the largest body of water on the planet. It had a set of runes to help ease pregnancy, one to help heal physical and mental trauma, and one to promote stability, that last was rather open ended, it could mean mental stability, or it could mean political, or any number of things. This was Xander's way of leaving the power open to them and their faith. The runes had been filled with his blood, Dawn's tears, and Egeria's blood. The later was because of the Naquadah in her blood, she'd volunteered. The shaft was sealed with Neutronium; the shape of the knickknack was the same of a symbol for Father Church and two small human figures in front of it shaking hands.

The gift had taken quite a bit of time to craft and Xander hadn't really been sure if he was going to use a religious symbol but found that afterwards he didn't mind. He would never be as arrogant as to claim to be the hand of god but then the symbols of church were not 'healing' symbols, or worshiped, which was why he didn't use a crucifix.

Cordelia asked him, "Are you ready dear?"

"I think I am." He smiled.

He was glad that he'd set up the new Iris in his apartment. It was much easier stepping out of the wall than it was in the middle of the dark room. He didn't bother turning on a light and the light from the Iris seemed to be rather shaded.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Benjamin's first impression of the new arrivals was that two of Xander's wives were rather tall. Both had dark hair and one looked quite young. As a matter of fact they all looked quite young.

Captain Fox had not warned him that they were about to arrive and he only needed a glance at the armsmen to know that they hadn't expected the sudden arrival either. No doubt they had been watching for their arrival from the space port and hadn't yet seen them there. He could have told them that he didn't expect it. Michael had told him of his suspicions on how exactly the young man was moving back and forth from Grayson to Orbital Four but obviously that wasn't something that could be used to get to Manticore and back and they were the second closest civilization, if you counted Masada.

Benjamin would have liked to observe them a bit more from the Palace Security but without proper warning that was neigh on impossible. He rose from the armchair he was at waiting for their arrival. He couldn't help but feel a certain bit of excitement. _**'Maybe Michael exaggerated a bit,'**_ he thought silently as he watched the man lead the women into his home. Captain Fox took their coats and Xander handed him an item and whispered something to his armsmen.

Benjamin saw the surprise in Fox's eyes and the nod.

"A gift," Xander said. "Cordelia tells me it would be improper to arrive without one." He shared with the Protector glibly. "I figured that Captain Fox was it?" he glanced at the man and Benjamin knew the captain was surprised at the recognition of his name. "I figured that he might wish to examine it for security reasons before I present it to you."

Ben smiled at the man and held out his hand in greeting, "Benjamin Mayhew."

"Xander LeVelle of the Kalderash Clan" he said as he grabbed the hand and shook it half bowing over the shaking hand.

"This is my… eldest mate, Cordelia, Willow is the red haired beauty, and Dawn is the youngest but sometimes the most mature."

Kendra hadn't come with them, in part because she'd avoided Grayson after her single visit to his apartment. Even with the most advanced filters she still tasted the heavy metals in the air and the food was worse. She had told him she would go if he wanted to her to but the expression was clear as day that she didn't want to.

Benjamin had smiled at the added description of Dawn's maturity comparison which earned Xander a smack to the shoulder and a hiss of, "Behave" before the tall dark haired beauty held out a hand to the Protector of Grayson, "Charmed!"

Ben was pleasantly surprised at the forwardness and noted that Xander was grinning unrepentantly. He shook hands with all of them before introducing his wives. "This is my first wife, Katherine Mayhew" Katherine Mayhew was a small woman, smaller just a bit than Buffy. They shook hands and Ben gestures, "This is Elaine, my second wife." She was taller and bubblier than Katherine was.

It was obvious that both ladies were pregnant, to Xander at least. Katherine was further along but only by a few months, it could be up to five months. Katherine looked like she was about seven months along, but it could have been only five or six given her petite frame. Xander wasn't sure.

"How far along are you?" Dawn piped in with a wide smile.

Katherine smiled at the younger girl. That was the start of a wonderful dinner.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Benjamin thought after the dinner; _**Xander**_, as he liked to be called, _**is a very strange individual but one of remarkable character**_. Benjamin somehow knew that Xander disliked politics but was instinctively well versed in understanding them. He'd understood some nuances in their conversations that led Benjamin to contemplating how to introduce Xander to his allies within the Keys. Michael was right and he was quite impressed with the young man.

Xander's thought were of the similarities and differences between the Centaurum and the Steadholders. It was very similar but there were limits that were written into the constitution that was one up on the Centaurum and that didn't touch on the Populum. The Centaurum had an advantage in their foreign policies but that was about it that he could think of.

That night after dinner, they had a longer talk about Grayson's policies as well as Xander and his wives ideas and opinions on where they might go in the future and what was in their opinion both good and bad about it. It was not a frustrating evening so much as preplanning modes of attack against 'those unwilling to put their faith forward to be tested' (Dawn's words).

Dawn had added, "People are people, Grayson has had much more in the way of trials and tribulations than other planets we've come across but you turned those on their heads, metaphorically. You patented an adaptable spiritualism that could almost be the reverse, philosophically, of the method first employed when moving here. Adapt and overcome _any_ test sent your way. Mix in the proper amount of selflessness with direction in a positive light, and there you have it. The key, if you think about it, is that you're reliant on the tests life throws at you and therefore to step back from something because you don't want to have to overcome its influence, to keep to yourself. I think that if you call into question their faith, not their faith in faith but in the people's ability to choose for themselves, it will hit home with the fence sitters. It won't of course affect those that care less about the faith and more about the power they get from their roles."

Benjamin glances at Xander and smiles widely, that had been the last bit of business for the night. The rest of the night was taken up by conversations about history of all things. Benjamin had been a student of history and had asked Xander what he liked to study and do as well as who in the past he admired.

_**AN**_: _I will be attempting to limit religious specifics but the idea of the Grayson's Great Tester doesn't sound quite that religious, as adaptive to life. With Grayson there will be more religion than I like to write so if it fuzzes over it a bit more in the future forgive me._


	8. Chapter 8

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Thank your beta cj_cold

Chapter 8: Managing the Gray

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The Prometheus School of Outer-Space (EDC High as some called it) was up and running well. They had fourteen semi fulltime teachers, which included Angel or Joyce in one of their slots, mostly Joyce for general art. They counted their young students as nearly two hundred. While a hundred of them were between 13 and 16 years old just over a dozen were younger but old enough to know how to read for the most part. The rest of the students were considered 'old enough to hold a job' and spent a good portion of their education learning from different jobs on the Prometheus.

Hammond supposed that mixing human and alien had added a very real equality between Earth humans and their allies. They had one Urrone observing each of the different classes from the Orban. It was serving well to influence the teaching of their children and hopefully it would eventually open an exchange of services. Neither Hammond, nor Jack, minded that at all.

He looked down to the video feed as he observed a rather interesting lesson given by Dr Tzu. She was a teacher in Colorado Springs until fourteen years ago and she was just too old to continue teaching. The Dargol Elixir had allowed her to return to her love, teaching and she was well versed in educating people in the elements and minerals found naturally, well found naturally on Earth or similar planets. Dr. Tzu took her time to update herself with all the new information and even wrote up several papers while she was recovering from her old age. The Elixir revitalized her youth but they needed to use ReGen to recover some of her more damaged organs.

Hammond monitored the class, Shelia Tzu was in front of and wished he could turn her voice up; it would be something he would add to the transmitter options in the future, or maybe just the controls so he could do it from here because the recording would enable it to be done later.

"Now you need to understand the difference between the principle of intrusive relationships and the principle of cross-cutting relationships. The former concerns an igneous intrusion across a formation of sedimentary rock but the principles of cross-cutting relationship pertain to the formation of faults and the sequence of their formation. This is a way to tell the age of any mineral, artifact, or lack thereof on the globe you live on."

George couldn't quite hear the rest of it without some kind of hearing aid and he wasn't that old yet.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Samantha Carter approached. "Sir, I've run the background checks on the other people for the SG Operations as you asked."

"Paperwork, don't you just love it Carter?"

She smiles just a bit. "Actually sir…"

"That was rhetorical Major" he said quickly and she grinned secretly.

"I ran a few checks on some civilians as well. There're a few people in NCIS that I wouldn't mind as part of the SG Operations, especially dealing with issues concerning security of the NID."

"Navy?" he asked almost incredulous, he couldn't help it when he'd trained as PJ. There was just too much antagonistic macho supremacy.

She had the look that said she was going to call him on it and he sighs, "Who do you think can manage it?"

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs, he was a Gunny in the Marines, was a lifer until his wife was killed by drug dealer after becoming a witness to a deal gone wrong. According to the information I was able to pull he took a leave of absence. Incidentally the killer died two days later from a sniper round in his million dollar estate in Mexico."

Jack's lips twitched just a bit. The way she said it had told him all he needed to know.

"Why do you think he's a good choice then?"

"I think we need more people that will take the initiative and in some cases hand out justice. I don't doubt that anyone on SG1 would have done similar. He is smart enough to get the job done and adaptive enough to overcome most obstacles. I think that if we pulled him and some of his the team he works with into the SG Operations it would be a good start to having our own in-house investigations unit. We both know that SG1 ended up having to investigate things too many that to count to actually get out of the situation we'd found ourselves in."

Jack grimaced as many of those times he had given away his level of intelligence and she was smirking at him for it now.

He quickly gets back on track, "So this Gibbs?"

"His father was in the Air Force until the early seventies; he left home in 76, at the age of 19, joined the marines and became a scout sniper. Cross trained for the Military Police starting in 1984. For some of that he detached duty when he was called to. He served until 1991 when he became a reservist and took up a position as a rookie for the NCIS. He's been married a few too many times and I think they all ended badly, but I think that's in part because of the way his first wife and daughter died."

Jack winces. "He's been working with the same people for almost a decade and a half?"

She nods "I'd recommend two of his people, Donald "Ducky" Mallard and Abigail Scutio. Ducky is doctor that normally deals with dead people but is the listed Medical Examiner for the NCIS as a whole. He also has a talent for reading people and is noticed in his military file that he has studied enough psychology to have a degree and served in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Abigail Scutio is quite… intriguing. She's a forensic scientist that deals with extreme details including blood and fibers." She shivers for a moment. "If I'm honest the only real reason to have them part of his team is that I don't believe he'd leave NCIS without them."

Jack smiles. "They're civilians, except Gibbs?"

She nodded.

"I'll bring up their names. It would be nice to have someone trained to investigate crime scenes. Is he the one you want on your team of is it just SG Operations?"

"The latter sir" she said quickly. "As for my team, I think that a SeAL might be good."

She was baiting him he knew, he lifted an eyebrow and she smiled just a touch.

"There are two; one is in an asylum. He was part of a project that had some remnants of the Roswell crash and devoted a project to… the name of the project was Backstep. It could reverse the last seven days and the subject had to have a very high tolerance for pain."

He was silent and she winced at that information as though she was reading it for the first time again.

"Evidently he's saved the world almost as much as SG1 and I believe the NID had most of his friends killed. He was only in the asylum in the first place because of an untreated PTSD and a black op that was not only off the books but might even be something that would get the NID looked at closer. I only found his name because it was one of the few left alive that was dealing with anything alien. After the amount of times he went thru a Backstep (that we know of), I don't think we have to worry about the PTSD anymore, besides the doctor, a Russian scientist working on the project, ensured he was treated."

Jack nods. "And you don't think he'll cause trouble with SG1?"

She smirks just a bit. "I don't mind a bit of trouble sir; I think I've grown used to it. To be honest what I've read about him reminds me of you to some degree… he's a hell of a lot less disciplined, at the same time he has the same get down to business mentality that you have when facing the system lord of the day."

He smirks at her and nods waving her to continue.

"The other trouble making SeAL," she pauses just long enough to smile slightly, "Casey Ryback is currently serving as a cook on a submarine after striking a superior officer, one I might add had just cost him eight of his men."

Jack winced and decided to read the file. "I'll look at the files. The name Ryback… wait wasn't he the SeAL involved in that issue with the nukes before the USS Missouri was struck from the Navy Registry?"

She nods. "That was back in 98, yes, he was the cook then too." She smirks just a bit before adding, "I hear he enjoyed cooking quite a bit, if he isn't willing to serve on a team we might want him in the kitchen just in case."

Jack laughs, he couldn't help it; ever since Sam heard she was taking SG1 she'd suddenly developed a very wicked sense of humor.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Michael Garibaldi frowns at what he's reading. "Shit," he mutters and closes his eyes in a private silent prayer. He wasn't one to pray but maybe all the talk of magic and demons had awakened a need to believe in some high power that dealt with souls of the afterlife.

"Captain" He tapped the communication badge but sent the message via the leather strap, _**'It looks like Clark is heating up Mars to the boiling point. We should expect a number of new arrivals in the next few weeks from Mars.'**_

"I'm here Michael. I'm not sure what we can do, but I've got some information on the other side of that too. Meet me in ten." _**'I'll be in my quarters.'**_

It was ten minutes later the Chief was there.

"You know I'm going to have to find something to thank Xander for these, I have a feeling our comm. system is being recorded somewhere."

Garibaldi smiled slightly. "Mars, I got word this morning that Clark called for an embargo until Mars Provisionary Government comes to heel. He wants to arrest Xavier Montoya for sedition."

John nods. "That's what I was informed as well. The way my contact said it went as that there was an arrangement by parties unknown to raid Station Phobos and a few other military installations, frame a few suspected or known members of the resistance with implications of Montoya's foreknowledge and possible help."

Garibaldi shook his head, "What for?"

"So he has an excuse to declare Mars under Martial Law. Granted that won't happen soon but Clark wants Mars out of the picture. They are too close to Earth to not be under their direct control and Clark is a bigot against anyone non-human. My contact thinks that Clark sees anyone not born on Earth as nonhuman."

John's evaluation hadn't pulled any punches, Garibaldi realized. Usually when talking about EarthForce and Clark they had to be somewhat careful, then again it usually wasn't in their quarters.

"No, that isn't all of it, Clark wants more…" He shook his head "Your contact, does it suspect Clark's complicity in Santiago's assassination?"

John's raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly.

Garibaldi cursed under his breath. "Xander was right; it was the same set up the Centauri had with their emperor. Given The timing and the influence the Shadows had with that, I can't believe this is just a coincidence."

"I don't either, but there isn't a hell of a lot we can do. Keep an eye out for anything we can use. My contact has a way to present information to Congress if we can collect enough verifiable evidence…"

Garibaldi grimaces. "Verifiable, yea… you know it would be a step towards Martial Law on any Earth Alliance property… which indirectly would include Babylon 5."

John winces and nods. He'd not seen that consciously, but considering the preparations he'd already started he couldn't help but think that he'd thought of it subconsciously.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

With great regret Delenn shared news with the small group, "I have been recalled to Minbari."

Xander could taste the worry in her mind so asks her, "Are you worried over being unable to return?"

She smiles kindly at him and sips her drink; there were about six others present. Dawn and Buffy were with him from LeVelle Manor while Lennier, Vir, G'Kar, and Londo were all there drinking and communing along side them.

Delenn looks out at them and shakes her head but he can feel the uncertainty.

"You are aware of _The Joyce _in the other place?"

She nods, "Yes, quite extraordinary the technology there."

"Some of it yes. I was thinking however that if I gave you a portable Iris to _The Joyce _you would be able to return in a moment's notice… just incase it was needed. I know that there are some Minbari that would see you harmed regardless of the law." He flung her cascading hair over her shoulder a bit to point it out. It might have been an imitate gesture but she knew it was not meant to be intimate in a sexual nature.

Delenn acquiesces without arguing, "I will take one but I doubt I will need to use it."

He gave her another reason to use it that wouldn't require her to show the weakness of needing an escape. "You might also be needed here in a moments notice; I have the Iris to the Manor clearly marked on the Joyce. It's a bit of a maze going to _The Joyce_, then the Manor, and then finally to Babylon 5, but it isn't a long journey."

She grins widely and pats his shoulder. Minbari, Xander noted were an incredibly physical people, the religious cast almost more so.

"No it is not," she agreed and then bows her head a moment. "I thank you Xander. It will make the journey easier."

Left unsaid was that she could attend to the Manor and visit with the other girls or visit John during the trip or while she was there. She also thought that she might place an Iris on Minbari permanently so that she could return to Minbari if needed. Sinclair might actually need one and the thought of Rangers able to utilize them was a plus as well.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Delenn's journey to Minbari had been calm to start. However she received a mental kick from John. With great worry she listened to his description of his capture and the alien race was familiar to the Minbari. If she'd not seen the image John sent mentally she'd have not found it for days but that was not the case. She rushed from the console in her quarters aboard the Minbari transport ship and thru the Iris she'd enlarged to step thru. She couldn't help but smile a touch at the memory of her friend Xander giving it to her.

The smile grew almost radiant as she heard her name called out with a great deal of emotion from someone that was so young and so trusting of her.

The voice was a rushing Dawnie, "Delenn!"

The girl seemed to attach to her with a hug that didn't want to let go. Delenn smiles down at the young female that she's hugging. "Hello Dawnie. I'll be back to talk in a minute I need to see the Chief and Ivanova."

Dawnie nodded before saying, with a touch of worry, "I hope nothings wrong."

Delenn smiles reassuringly. "Not much but I must hurry."

Dawnie nods. Delenn made her way thru the Iris to Garibaldi's living room which sounded a chime in his quarters. She waited a few moments and the door opened.

"Delenn?" he asked surprised to be seeing her.

"John's been captured by a race known to Minbari as the Streib. He's bound at the moment and I was the only one he was capable of reaching out to."

He goes pasty white and calls on his hand comm. "Garibaldi to Ivanova."

With Delenn's help they had a good location for where John might be and she sent him a message to hold on. She gave Garibaldi the data crystal with all the information on the Streib she could gather. She returned to the ship in transit as it arrived at Minbar; taking a moment to spend with Dawnie before she got there.

It would be the next day before she would receive the message from Captain Sheridan that he was safe and sound.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Catherine Sakai arrives to Babylon 5 shortly after John was rescued from the Streib.

Approaching Michael because she knew he and Jeffrey were good friends. She asks him once they were in private, "Chief, um, do you know where Commander Sinclair is?"

Michael smiles slightly, "Captain Sakai, right? It is good to see you again!"

She nods. "Jeffery couldn't really relay any messages to me on the Skydancer the last few months or so."

Garibaldi nods his head. "I believe he's on Minbar. Delenn's left a message for you but I'll see if I can contact her before you go, if you'd like?"

Catherine really wanted to see Jeffery she had questions about the messages he'd sent her but she gave Michael a wide grateful smile. Michael had her wait there for about ten minutes and then had her come with him to his quarters, Delenn had not yet returned to transport which had saved time. With Xander there she had a few more options then simply storing the Skydancer in a Yedor Space Hanger and chartering a flight to Minbar.

The Skydancer was parked in the yard outside LeVelle Manor, she'd been quite pleased to take an Iris to Minbar after she'd relaxed on the station for a day or so. She really didn't want to turn up in the restricted sections of the capital that were monitored by the Gray Council.

Xander had also offered to clean up the ship and install a food processor unit and Iris in case she ever needed it again. He had that knowing look on his face that Catherine wasn't sure if it was because he didn't think she'd ever need it again or because he knew she would.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Lennier did not like this, he was well aware that the Gray Council was going to have her replaced. Lennier was unsure what to do and decides to seek advice from the wisest person outside the current situation he knows of.

'_**Xander, this is Lennier.'**_

'_**Yes Lennier?'**_

Lennier's thoughts seemed to be clear after Xander's response, _**'I am worried over Delenn. I fear the Grey Council will replace her and I do not believe the person they choose will be of benefit to lasting peace.'**_

There was a pause before, _**'I see. When are they planning their final dispensation?'**_

'_**I am standing outside the door the Gray Council now. They have not filtered in completely but give them a few moments and they will be ready to announce their decision.'**_

'_**Do you have your own Portable Hole with you?'**_

'_**Yes I do.' **_He was curious as to what Xander was planning.

'_**Then by all means open it up and I'll come to you. I'm heading to **_**The**__**Joyce**_** now.'**_

Lennier blanched at that, but what was done was done and he would follow the instructions.

A moment later, as Delenn was standing in the center of the Grey Council awaiting their judgment, a pop sounded and Xander appeared out of thin air. After the Summit and flame travel Xander had wanted to learn the difference between apparition and flame travel and found that they were quite similar though flame travel was more emotionally driven. Of course with a twisting of his arrival he could turn a loud pop into something akin to a sonic boom, this arrival point was perfect to make use of the extremely loud, not yet sonic boom, popping sound.

Delenn was surprised by Xander's sudden appearance, but the others of the Gray Council were upset that he was there.

"I see that bigotry is not a solely human trait. War is coming. The Shadows have already resurfaced, and the famous Minbari, allies to the light, have nothing better to do than to piss around under the guise of being seen doing something." He liked using that as an insult. There were quite mummers. The words 'War' and 'Shadows' were not lost on most of them.

One of the more ignorant and bigoted Minbari ask, "What do you know of the Shadows human?"

"I know they support war and unrest, they encourage separatism, and they are willing to elevate individuals that seem to be of similar mind. You are either with the Shadows or against them; I know Delenn is against them, I don't know if the rest of her people will stand with her or against her." Glaring at them he growls, "She is also under my protection!"

Holding up his hand he forms a fireball and slams it down into the center of the floor as the fire got whiter and whiter.

"Know this, I know the motives of everyone here, I know who stands for power gained and who is involved in this for the protection of their united people. It will not do you well to cross me." He sent a mental burst of fire into the minds of every member of the ruling council that brought them to their knees, the only ones that didn't were those that had not voted to oust Delenn which surprisingly included the soon to be new member of the Gray Council. After all he'd not been able to vote, and until now he might have disliked Delenn's choice and humankind in particular. This human however was altering his perception quite a bit with a few well spoken words.

"I may not be from this realm but I know of what is here. If you wish to desecrate the policies placed by Valen and support the agenda of the Shadows… I Will Not Stand For It. I will deal with you as I recently dealt with the two Shadows on Babylon 5."

He vanishes with, instead of a pop, a burst of flame. Leaving via a flame was giving quite an impression and as they all were focused on his position they watched as he vanished. It was an instinctual grasp of the mental leaps and assumptions that he was playing into.

Worried at the flames he'd just seen Lennier asks Xander, "Is everything alright?"

Nodding Xander tells him, "Yes, I doubt they will move against her now. If they do I'm giving you a portkey which will activate and bring you to this particular Iris, or one that's the closest physically."

Lennier was curious. "Portkey?" he asks.

Xander elucidates, "A wormhole thru time and space to a particular location. If it is longer distance then it will take time but in the short of it you'll hardly notice the travel time. They are made with runes and enchanted, most aren't they're just enchanted but these particular ones are keyed to the Irises."

"Very well, thank you Xander."

Xander offers him a smile and nods. "If you wish to leave one of the Irises here on Minbar or in Tuzanor, I wouldn't object."

Linair smiled widely at that and gives a half bow as he nods. "It would be nice to visit my family."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Inwardly Delenn found Xander's drama amusing, but she was also worried over some of what he'd shared with the Gray Council. She realized she too had fallen into the mental trap that said Minbari was above the darkness, for the light, and stood for nothing else. She also realized even those in the religious cast had fallen into the trappings of political vice to a great degree.

Delenn could tell that several of the Gray Council who voted to remove her from her position on the Gray Council seemed leery of it now. She could tell prior to Xander's arrival that they had not been opposed to her position as the Ambassador on Babylon 5, but then again there was debate on the value of said position as well.

Her voice came out strong showing no amusement or disdain, "I will save you the trouble of voting. I resign my position on the Gray Council. This Council is for Minbari, of Minbari. I am no longer for Minbari. I am for the light and against the Shadows. With this revelation I can no longer fulfill the role of a member of this Council. I will keep my station as Ambassador as it is the Minbari way to make peace, even if some do not realize the reasoning. The religious cast has not shared everything that is known in part because it has to do with the religious application of our faith. Xander, my friend, my protector it seems…"

Her face showed amusement for a moment as she looked towards the burnt out floor of the chambers. "He speaks the truth, war is imminent. He also did kill two Shadows on Babylon 5. I will speak with my replacement, if you so choose, another caste to fill the role than that is your choice. However I will warn you that to unbalance the Council in such a time of peril is not only foolish, but treason against Minbari, and will bring with it a curse upon those that would defile our people with darkness."

The warrior she spoke with was Alyt _Neroon. "At first," he admitted to her, "I was embittered against human interaction with Minbar. After this human has laid accusation against the Gray Council with a position of power and ability to wield destruction, this old warrior has realized that my preconceived notions are flawed. This would have been different if I did not know of this human face and had read of his deeds. He is the face of the man who brokered peace between the Narn and the Centauri. If those two races could see a way to peace after all they went through than perhaps I too could set aside my anger at the way humans have deigned to regard Minbari."_

The Minbari, as a whole, knew that this man was not allied with Earthgov but he was a powerful ally to any who sought out peaceful co-existence, or as it seemed now was also against the Shadows.

Alyt Neroon knew this visitor that spoke in Delenn's defense was one person Minbari didn't want to piss off. The fact was driven home by his two methods of teleportation. They would spend months in debate on the curious technology they'd yet to discover.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander returned to the Joyce and then the Manor. He set up some targets that had nothing but open space behind them and angrily lobbed a number of fireballs at them.

"What's got you so upset?" Jack asked as he watched the wooden dummies burst into flames. He'd been leery of 'magic' but after seeing Diagon Ally he had set aside his bias and found that there was a strange sort of science that he almost got when he used his own wand. Cassandra was often using her wand every way she could and for some reason seemed quite familiar with Diagon Alley almost like she'd expected certain things. He was unsure as to why.

"Bigots" he destroyed the next dummy that was almost near the edge of the wards and considering the length of the expanse Jack had to wince at the thought of Xander on a battle field. He would almost feel sorry for the bastards but it would take quite a bit to rile Xander to battle, well maybe not for some things considering what he'd found out in the three demonology classes he'd sat in on.

"And that's new?"

Xander sighed. "Minbari are supposed to be the example in this realm. Like your Asgard, or maybe the Vorlon are like your Asgard though I think that's more the Nox." He shrugged. "The Minbari I took to be meant as an example of what society could be if they worked together. They have not had a civil war in a thousand years."

Jack whistled in awe and nods. "And they're the bigots?"

"Yes" he growled and launched a larger fireball. This time an animal formed out of it and he blinked. The animal was gone just as fast but it was quite interesting to find out that he evidently was a full elemental.

"They dislike that Delenn changed herself to be more human, or maybe" he admitted with a slight grin, "more genetically compatible with a particular human that they dislike."

"Dislike… I've read the reports of the Earth Minbari War, Xander." Jack had his slightly grimacing smile on his face. "There wasn't much in the way of victory for Earth and John Sheridan was a tactical genius. I would imagine most of this Minbari Warrior Cast hates the man with a passion."

Xander nods. "But I think they hate that the religious cast got them into the war and then demanded they surrender."

Jack winces at that but gives his agreement. "Religion shouldn't dictate policy."

"Maybe," Xander shrugs. "Then again the religion they practice is… it does not worship a god, it is a way of thinking and separating yourself from the darkness. Personally I think they are rather close to truly understanding the ideas of sentience, but the fact is I don't believe the Religious Cast ever told them why."

Jack frowned, that was a knowing tone. "Why did they surrender?"

Xander smiles grimly. "Three reasons, they are first and foremost a peaceful people. Second reason they are able to tell when a soul is reincarnated; the energy signature is traceable and a number of humans that they thought were simple animals had a soul that was once in a Minbari, though I'm not sure they got that exactly right. The third reason, the most hidden reason is that a man that traveled back in time and altered himself to be Minbari not of Minbari was found, and he was human. He is also the prophet that helped them beat back the Shadows a thousand years ago and the ancestor of several of their people."

Jack had wide eyes. "Good god, that's fucking insane."

Xander laughs. "Just be glad Joyce didn't here you say that."

Jack winced. He had since returning to high school become more foul mouthed even as he tried to avoid it. It was like returning from OCS when he found himself cursing every other word until his grandmother washed his mouth out with soap a few times. He shivered, thankful he was unable to tell her about his current life, as she was still a formidable woman. The thought crossed his mind of Hammond hiring her and giving her the Dargol Elixir. He shivered again and would make a note to ask him, if nothing else she would give Jack senior a hard time. He only wished that his parents were alive still.

"Have you tried doing that with the fire spell?" he asked with a gesture as well as allowing them to change the subject from his foul language.

Xander shrugged. "I don't want to risk burning up the wand if it comes from my hand instead of the wand tip."

"Don't they have a potion to make a wand flame retardant?"

"I don't know; the art of potions was never really my field of study."

Jack smirks. "Relying on the practical and what you glean from others?"

Xander winces, "Maybe a bit too much… although I have been sitting in on the classes more often."

Jack winces this time. "Yea, I forgot as an old man how much I disliked cracking books. I do have to say that after learning a touch of magic is seems almost as though… when I read about magical history it isn't like I'm reading actual history, more like it's magic." There was a gleam in his eye.

"Yea" Xander admitted knowing the feeling. "I might have been like that a bit more when I was younger, not because of the age mind you but first exposure to actual magic."

"What was your first exposure to magic?"

"Aside from vampires and demons which I really don't count as magical exposure, a body swapping mother and daughter so the mother could hold the daughter captive and relive her glory days at the expense of her daughter."

"That sucks" he thought of it, "and having been younger myself now I must say she was rather stupid."

Xander laughs and nods. "I think you've met Amy, she's in Blasedale with Michael. Of course my next bit of magical observation was being possessed myself, only by an animal's spirit instead of a dear old mom." He shook his head.

Recalling some of what he'd heard Jack asks, "Hyena right?"

"It wouldn't have been nearly as bad I think if I'd known what was going on and had been off the Hellmouth. You know how that thing twists any magic use?"

"Yea, I read about the Hellmouth for the Demonology class, a basic twisting of everything and people actually live there knowing this?"

Xander grinned. "Those who know, know it needs defended or like the twisting."

Jack grunted.

"The next bit was finding out that Angel was cursed with a soul. A good outcome I think though he's much less broody now and that is because they wised up and realized the best revenge against the vampire was the soul living well, and it only took them eighty years of the soul suffering."

Xander shook his head. "And I'm of their blood so is it any wonder why I'm so dense sometimes?"

"You're not dense, Xander!" Jack took a gander around the yard and glances at the manor itself. "I see what has been done to this manor compared to the one in Sunnydale and I know from talking to the girls and the two Giles that most of this came about because of you either directly or indirectly."

Xander actually blushed; he wasn't use to flat out praise like that.

Jack smirked at his blush but pushes on, "I also haven't missed that you've made contacts that will be quite useful on Manticore, Grayson, at the EDC, and on Babylon 5. From what I heard talk of these Shadows out there, you'll need all the resources you can muster; these won't be the technologically phobic demons you're use to."

Xander cringes at the thought, but grits his teeth and nods. "That was one of the reasons we purchased a few more of the machines from Blasedale."

"You know, considering the tech level of Grayson and Manticore, Babylon 5, and the EDC, I'm surprised that when compared to Blasedale they are so far ahead on space travel but none of them have developed the energy to matter converter that Blasedale has."

"I think the Asgard use some form of it, but it would have to be quite limited. I'm not sure how it compares to the ones we have."

Jack nods. "I can see that but I believe Thor's people still mine for Neutronium and such. From what I heard that was one of the things they gave up in the Protected Planets Treaty, an area to mine."

Xander winced thinking of that. "Yea but then if it is as dense as all that it would take forever to build up enough of the material to make fabrication worth while."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"Hello?" Professor Rebecca Horne entered the Room of Requirement that the group had made their common room now. It had Iris-like doors to the other common rooms the students in the room might need. They'd started using this room in February after their Apparition lesson. It was a way that Luna and Susan could be with the group without the other Gryffindors giving curious looks.

"Hello Professor Horne; did you need something?"

Rebecca hesitated a moment. "I was told that your small group might enjoy some sword instruction. I have need of practice and was hoping that one of you picked up at least the basics quickly enough."

Harry's eyes light up and Rebecca smiles at the way they glowed just slightly with his emotion. It was obvious to her who was going to excel but then again after seeing him play Quidditch she thought a sword in his hand would forever stain her dreams.

It would be two practices a week for everyone, but Harry and Rebecca seem to hit it off well and he'd learns more about martial arts from her in two days then the others do in three weeks.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

As a result of Jack's talk with Xander, Xander ended up attending almost twice as many classes, though some of those were strictly magical application and one was potions. The fact that Dawnie, Dawn, and Egeria were all there with him was a plus. Willow was half teaching and half learning from Padfoot. Nancy and Aura attended some but mostly it was to gawk and whisper at their man's… talents. Jack and Cassandra were there as well but only half the time.

"Are we that bad?" Willow asked Dawn.

Dawn glanced at Dawnie and Egeria and giggled.

"Yes" she told the redhead. "In fact I think you and I are worse. Egeria is much better about Ronald."

Willow flushed and rolled her eyes at that last comment. Dawn didn't spending hours upon hours building models and installing things on _The Joyce _with Egeria. It seemed that recently Egeria and Ronald took their relationship to the next level with sex and thus was quite taken with him in everything she said while on _The Joyce_, although she was taken with Hermione and even a bit with Ginny as well. Of course with Ginny it was only when Egeria mentioned Hermione and Harry. Harry had been her second male lover while they stayed over for Easter Break.

Egeria liked Harry well enough but the only reason she joined him was because of the open mores on sex. Egeria liked sex and shared this fact with Willow. With Ron having finally done the deed with Egeria then Hermione while Harry had been with Ginny and Luna first, it was open season. Egeria had even talked to Willow concerning Xander. She hadn't joined him in bed yet but that was partially because of his usual girls and partially because of the relationship they'd had so far. She was worried that because he was treating her like Ron treated Ginny it might be awkward. It was most confusing to the elder symbiote.

Egeria had no idea that Xander was mirroring her inner personalities, as even with being merged to the point of often having no separation of opinion there was still a part of her that was more experienced where another part of her seemed needier in a carnal way. Xander had picked up on this was reacting to it on a subconscious level. It seemed that part of her, no telling which one, thought of him in a sibling like fashion as apposed to a potential mate and that was affecting both the other part of her and the mental pick ups that Xander had.

Xander glanced over to them and wiggled his eyebrows in a fashion that caused both of them to get a bit moist down below. Dawn groaned, "Did he have to do that?"

Willow licked her lips and put her hand on Dawn's thigh. "I think he did and if we weren't in class I would move this hand up ever so slowly." She smirked and Dawnie turned to them and lifted an eyebrow.

Dawnie was getting much closer to being aggressive with her sexual need, though she was still not quite there on the maturity level. To Dawnie she was only three years younger than Xander although that wasn't quite accurate. She was almost four younger than the eldest girl in his harem which meant that as soon as she turned sixteen she was going to jump them all which she hoped included Dawn. Dawnie didn't think of Dawn as a sister nor did she see her as a twin. She didn't grow up with Dawnie and when it came to thinking of sex she didn't think, _**'Incest, eek!'**_ It was different with the Buffy analogue, she grew up with Buffy and therefore the Buffy analogue wasn't much different. It was easy to see her and think, _**'Sister'**_. It wasn't because she was a sister to her by the gift of DNA.

When Dawnie talked to her mother about it, Joyce had thought it made sense that she was raised with a Buffy so all Buffy analogues would feel like siblings. That was as close as her mother was going to be to giving her a blessing and Dawnie had no clue that her mother spent the rest of the night drinking with Janna and Giles to erode the memory of her daughter's sex life. She'd likely not learn it anytime soon either because nobody but Joyce, Giles, and Janna were there when they left the same room the next morning with smiles on their faces. If Buffy, Dawn, and Buffy knew it was Dawnie's sex talk that sparked the threesome it would have been a Glaring Event.

To Dawnie life was about love, sharing, and babies. She wanted one ASAP. Alexander was going to be in the real world within a week or so. Duncan and Amanda were thrilled and Professor Rebecca was going to join the girls in a baby shower as soon as the baby was born. Dawnie had already found the device to implant into Amanda's breast that would allow Baby Alexander to breastfeed.

Dawnie knew that being immortal Amanda couldn't just take her hormone shots as immortals physiology was unreliable when it came to their medical responses. She knew from what she read about prenatal care, and what Dawn shared that breastfeeding was a very emotional thing. It was also her hope that it would show others that she was thinking and growing up. It was completely missed that Dawn had recommended the topic to Dawnie as a method of calming her down on one of her hyper days.

While Dawnie was thinking about Alexander, Dawn looked over and had to bit her lip. Dawnie had cute little expressions that Dawn was sure she'd never had herself. In some ways the two analogs were rather alike but in some things so totally different. She briefly wondered if she was a bit sick in the head to be thinking of Dawnie with a sexual apatite. Dawnie was less than a full year younger than her so it wasn't an age thing but the fact that they shared such similar blood; it was moot point right now so Dawn shrugged it off.

There was also the fact that she had really liked the open relationship and found that the more she was involved in sex with both girls and guys the more she found comfort in the fact. She briefly wondered if there was a reason she had found that Cassandra who was just a year younger than Dawnie, to be such a child rather than a woman or woman in the making. She would have to think on it. She smiled as she reached down and pulled the relaxed arm resting on her thigh towards her.

Willow didn't eep, that required sound, but Dawn felt the sudden surprise from Willow and obviously wasn't the only one as she got a quick message._** 'Being naughty? I think it's time I use that paddle again, on both you and Willow.'**_

_**AN**__: There will be Dawn/Dawn but it will spare any graphic detail reserving more room for the ethical dilemma that rises briefly from it. Kudos to Under Siege, Seven Days, and NCIS; Under Siege in this took place in 1998 (two years prior), no part 2, and he serves out his duty as the same position he was in at that time, Seven Days only first season and a half, AU second half of second season, and NCIS, pre series._

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4


	9. Chapter 9

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Beta's by cj_cold

Chapter 9: Doctor-Doctor Give Me the News

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

LeVelle Manor was playing host to Sunnydale's locals, their friends from Hogwarts, the Immortals including Ritchey, Joe Dawson, John Sheridan and Delenn from Babylon 5 though they wouldn't be able to stay long. The reason for this monumental occasion was the 'birth' of the son of Amanda and Duncan.

Dawn's voice carried relieved humor as she passed the baby into Amanda's waiting arms, "He's healthy, doesn't have the immortality kicking in at all right now, and seems to know who his mother is."

Joe was in shock still. He'd only found out about this when he was invited and was currently smiling widely. He'd already been exposed to the wonders of the advanced technology; he had new legs and felt much younger than he had any right to. He should have known that they'd have a way to give so many immortals their dream of children.

"I present to you our son" Amanda smiled and Duncan nods, "Alexander Macleod, of the Clan Kalderash."

She'd spoken with Janna and she'd given her blessing to use the clan name and as they were all foundlings Duncan felt that acceptance to this clan was almost more important than his highlander name. He would keep his name but his son, born in a different realm and thru means of science to overcome the impossible… yes he would accept that he was part of this clan. Nobody was unsmiling at the name or the addition.

Cordy smirks at Amanda before asking, "Maybe Now you can make use of the lactation implants Dawnie came up with?"

Dawnie blushes as every eye turns to her. In a rare moment of immaturity Dawnie buries her face in her mother's side, much to the said mother's amusement.

Joe announces, "I think this calls for celebration. I've brought a wide selection of spirits. I believe Xander has a few inhalers to ensure we don't get out of hand."

Joe smiled in thought, _**'Those inhalers cut out the problems of driving drunk, that's for sure.'**_

The inhalers had been fairly cheep on Manticore and Cordelia had thought a bar owner might appreciate them. Joe was half tempted to get Methos drunk as a skunk and give him the inhaler. It took so much to get an immortal _that_ drunk that it would be quite funny to sober him up almost instantly. Instead he'd just kept a few of them in his bar. Joe already had his own Iris to LeVelle Manor. It was keyed to only let him use it. It would let anyone else aware of it, use it as well, but he couldn't point it out to those that weren't aware of it. Only those that were either told of it by a Manor Resident or had been to the Manor would be able to see it. Joe didn't want to be pushed into revealing it even accidentally so made sure that he wasn't keyed to reveal it to others.

Professor Rebecca Horne, though she was called Professor Rebecca, held baby Alexander for Amanda. She could feel the premature quickening within the child, but it felt so much cleaner, or maybe purer, than most she'd felt previous. There was no other way to describe it. The fact that it felt almost like a mix of Amanda and Duncan's full fledged quickening was another curiosity. She would ask Xander to put a small rune on the baby to ensure that he was not picked off by someone that could sense the premature quickenings as she could.

While she was distracted with baby Alexander, Harry Potter approaches, "He's so small!"

He handed the professor a bottle, she grinned when she realized it was root bear instead of alcohol. He flushed at her look. That he recalled the fact that she disliked drinking alcohol because of it temporary deadening her senses and awareness meant he'd paid attention.

She took a drink and set it down holding the baby with care, "Thank you, would you like to hold him?"

Harry flushes giving the professor a nod. She helped guide his hands and he was quite awed by the baby. This awe and care caused Rebecca to lick her lips with sparkling eyes and ask, "Have you ever thought of having a child of your own?"

Harry almost dropped little Alexander in shock but didn't. Alexander was gurgling at Harry and Harry knew that the smart little baby could sense he was uncomfortable with the topic that had just popped up.

"Some" he admitted, "but not for another year at least."

Rebecca's smile becomes a slightly predatory smirk. "I look forward to it."

Harry gawked at her and she gave him a tingling laugh.

Ginny approached. "Oh he is so cute!" the redhead put her finger into the little baby sized palms and Alexander palms it. She turns to Harry with a whine in her voice he all but demands, "I want one!"

Sternly he tells her, "Ask your mum!"

Ginny blushes and only refrained from swatting his arm because he's holding the baby.

Rebecca recognizes an ally in the petite redhead. "I was just telling him, I looked forward to when he had his own. Don't you think he would make a wonderful father?"

Ginny grins. The flirtation was there, more so than at Hogwarts. Then again at Hogwarts Rebecca was to some degree in a position of authority. Ginny could see that as a detractor to outright honest flirting. Their group was a bit young so Rebecca was obviously only clearing the road for the future.

"I think that Harry will make a wonderful father." She turned to Alexander, and spoke to the little bloke, "Yes he will!" She was grinning as she added, "Many children, from several women."

Harry gulps in shock at that statement, not having put much thought into it.

His voice breaks, "Several?"

"Hermione is going to want a child; I'll want at least three. Luna wants a girl so will likely have boys until her seventh child if we don't cheat a bit." She smirks and glances at Dawn.

"That's only three not several."

"Oh" she smirks and glances at Rebecca, "I can think of at last one or two more, I'm sure Susan wants a child too but that won't be until at least halfway thru next year."

"Why halfway thru?" Harry's voice broke.

Amanda was back and silently demanding her son which Harry was relieved to give up.

Ginny nods. "Oh, you know it takes months to grow them and half way through the school year will allow us the ability to carry them to term and be out of school by the time the delivery date is upon us."

Rebecca smirks. "And those of us that aren't able to carry to term will corner you this summer, preferably within a few weeks."

Amanda picks up the 'gang up on the poor boy' and goes to make a comment but Alexander chose that moment to comment for her with a loud gurgle and the new mother was completely distracted.

Ginny giggles at both the byplay from Harry and Rebecca and at Alexander. He was obviously on their side wanting other kids to play with so was diverting Amanda's attention.

With a smirk to Rebecca, Ginny informs her, "You'll want to at least try the old fashion way first Rebecca, you never know if Harry's magic will overpower the quickening."

Rebecca was about to explain it then stopped and smiled, Ginny knew about how the quickening reacted to the formation of a fetus. This was her giving her the blessing to pin down the young man that she'd been working up a sweat with the last month and half.

It was quite ironic really that Alexander was the centerpiece for the get together. If there was more attention on others that day they might have noticed a few things that were familiar and why. Xander Harris might have been quite shocked at certain guests that he'd seen on TV of all things.

Duncan and Amanda registered Alexander with Saint Mungos as a magical birth July 9, 1997. The local testing showed Alexander as having a magical core, the date of birth, and the parents which read on the spell as magical. The birth certificate was magical and would automatically update in the Muggle public system. This would be a boon as it would add to as a detractor to anyone targeting them of suspected immortality and aware of all that entails.

Duncan and Amanda had showed off the baby to several people that they currently knew who didn't know of their immortality. They all took Duncan to be a first time father and the reason for his awe was quite obvious. It wasn't until he shared that he was supposed to be infertile, as was Amanda, that they recognized the miracle child for what he was. Nobody really asked but it was quite obvious the two were in love.

For Duncan baby Alexander was a way to move on from Tessa and Amanda was quite pleased that she was finally a mother. Baby proofing the houses they lived in was a chore that they took to with relish.

Dawnie had often found herself in their realm at their house babysitting while Duncan and Amanda went out for the night. Amanda had not liked this at first but after a week and half of Alexander waking her up with crying she'd been thankful for the help.

Duncan hadn't been idle when caring for Alexander and other then being extremely smart he was just a normal baby. He'd helped take care of babies in the past but never with such personal feeling to it as he had caring for Alexander.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

With Janna working on something with Egeria and Eric asleep, Giles found the time to relax and read on the bridge of _The Joyce._ The book was one he was enjoying; it spoke of the local history concerning the conflict between Grayson and Masada prior to the Masadan's departure.

The light of the communications system suddenly came to life with emergency traffic.

"This is _The Joyce_. Rupert here, is there anything I can do to assist?"

"This is Capt. Hill with Orbital Four. It seems the Masada has launched an attack on Orbital Seven, and now I believe they've hit number twelve. You might wish to detach, they might not make it this far but if they do you'll be in the position to use your wedge."

"I see; I'm detaching now."

It was twenty minutes later when Capt. Hill radios Giles.

"We've repelled the attackers, it seems Orbital Seven and Twelve have sustained minor damage. We were lucky that we didn't receive any. Would you mind terribly lending a hand to evacuate the non essential personal from those two orbitals? They'd need to be ferried here for a time and provided everything works well with the repairs we'll need to send them back upon completion?"

"I'll need directions sent to the Navigation System."

"I'm sending them now Mr. Giles."

"Thank you, Capt. Hill. Let me inform the others and I'll be on my way. Do you know if they have any injured?"

There were a few moments that the communication traffic lights lit up that signified comm-traffic that was not to _The Joyce_ before Capt. Hill's voice came on the radio again. "There area few minor casualties but mostly the damage was to the mineral processors."

"Very well, Giles out."

He made his way to the Iris. "Xander it seems the Masada have attacked, three orbitals, the attackers were repelled but the other two orbitals suffered sufficient damage to be a risk for the men."

"Playing ferryboat than?"

Giles nodded. "There are no life threatening injuries but I thought if Dawn wishes…"

"If they'll let her…"

Giles nods.

"Did you record what the sensors read about the fight?"

"No, _The Joyce_'s sensor package is not nearly as advanced as the stationary sensors relays the Graysons installed in the orbitals, granted they can't use them when in motion but I see no need to have them on all the time."

Xander winces. The thought of sleeping blind came to him and he made a mental note to update _The Joyce_'s sensors with whatever they could find that was remotely compatible. The runic gravimetric project he'd been working on for the area wasn't going to cut it without someone always watching it.

Giles made his way back to the navigation computer. He'd recognized the wince and the boy had a habit of coming up with the most unusual but helpful solutions.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

As it turned out the idea of Dawn mothering them was a relief to most of the men on the orbital. There were a few that didn't seem to like her on the ship but Dawn had put them in their place including a few smacked hands. It probably helped that Dawn was in a long dress that wouldn't have been out of fashion on Grayson.

Giles learned as he was transporting them to Orbital Four that the main reason for the evacuation was that the damage the other orbitals had were damaged CO2 scrubbers. Giles made a mental note that the Graysons didn't have the replicators so the O2 the machines could produce wasn't an option. They really needed to fix that but it would hold for now

"We appreciate the lift Mr. Giles. We'd be in UAV suits before the repairs were done if not for your assistance."

Giles nods. "That is one of the things we're parked here for."

"What is it you do all day?" one of the other workers asked.

Giles smiled softly. "Mostly I study. I'm something of a historian and find different cultures fascinating. Old Earth cultures from prior to the Diaspora mostly. The fact that Grayson is the oldest culture of any other star nation has some very enriching qualities. Of course Masada is almost as old and their culture…" there was a low growl and the men laugh with agreement.

Giles smiles a bit at the camaraderie and asks, "Any idea what set them off this time?"

The commander that was there shakes his head. "No idea. It seems like it could be just usual Masada antics."

Giles could feel the reluctant truth in the man's tone, and offers up, "At least nobody on our side died from the attack."

They were all in agreement with that sentiment.

One of the men voices a curiosity, "Your doctor is quite the woman; is she married?"

"Oh yes. Xander is quite protective of her, though I fear for any man that wishes to entreat upon her…" he shook his head. "She isn't a doctor, she has no formal schooling, and isn't old enough to have been through the schooling for it, she is just skilled and a very carrying individual."

They smiled at that, Grayson women were by no means unskilled, that would lead to the death of children easily and nobody wanted a stupid wife.

Suddenly one of the workers spoke up, "That's the guy that got us the new nodes?"

"Oh yes, he's worked hard to adapt them to be more efficient over the time he's been here."

"Yea, the calibrations we've been running them thru have really upped the production quite a bit." There was a soft frown forming, "In fact of all the orbitals only Four, Seven, and Twelve have assigned men to specifically monitor the node calibrations."

Giles asks, "Only those stations, the same stations targeted?"

The man slowly nods Giles held up a hand. "Don't share this with anyone but the Captain of Orbital Four. If there is a spy in the chain of command it will need to be handled with delicate hands. Sharing this with friends over some mead may end up costing your fellow workers their lives, especially if we have a spy to worry about."

They slowly nodded agreement to that one of the military men adds, "Make sure that any correspondence or reporting on this is not done electronically, or over the communication radios, as those might be monitored even with encryption."

Giles nods.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Hogwarts had been out for four days and Harry had with the girls and Ron returned straight away to LeVelle Manor. Rebecca had joined them, she evidently waited until she was no longer their professor before starting a sexual relationship and because of that they'd built up a suitable amount of… tension.

Having been exposed to the brunt end of the flirting bordering on exhibitionist behavior, not to mention the sheer magnitude of their projecting thoughts even with the runic mental shielding, it was overwhelming. _**'It's quite obvious that Rebecca is going to be one of Harry's girls.'**_ Xander privately thought, _**'I wonder if I was ever that pent up.'**_

With a desire to be out of LeVelle Manor to allow the initial burn of their sexual relationship to ebb a bit, Xander had spoken with G'Kar. He and John were installing one of the advanced food replicators in the Commanding Office of Babylon 5.

The replicator was not one of the self contained models and there was no solar exposure to power them so part of this was to figure out how to get it to work with Babylon 5's power supply and how much of a drain it would be. This wasn't a job for the general maintenance, and the runes Xander was going to add to the consul would prevent anyone from noticing it that shouldn't.

As they work, John turns to Xander and says, "I have a couple of friends that should be by next week sometime, Xander. I'd like to introduce you to them."

"Friends?" he asks with a slight smirk, John was broadcasting anxiety or maybe anticipation and camaraderie with this friend.

"General William Hague is Chairman of Earthforce's Joint Chiefs of Staff. He's been my helping hand for several years and is captain of the _EAS Alexander_. His second in command is a good man, Major Ed Ryan."

"So, you think we should share what we know of the Shadows involvement with the attempted coup d'état?"

John winces and nods. "I think if we're going to collect proof and take back the moral authority that Clark's assumed over EarthForce, we need to."

"I think it's a bit too late for that, this isn't going to be a bloodless coup. Clark has too many people too well invested in this course of action. The best we can hope for is to isolate the cancer and save as many as we can to weather the storm."

John grimaced. _**'That sound so much like running and hiding.'**_

Xander laughs gently and nods. "Indeed it does, but then again it will be easier and we'll save more innocents and comrades if we can find proof."

"Do you think the people of Mars are going to join us?"

Xander shrugs. "They may, but honestly they're doing all they can to survive. Mars isn't going to be a large boon right out the gate. We'll need to get more support for them there, Michael is already setting up some Irises supply them and rescue refugees. He knows quite a number of people on Mars."

"I know that's where he met Commander Sinclair."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

General Hague arrival was not without fanfare. "You must be Xander."

Xander shook the offered hand. "General."

"Call me Will. I have no idea how much longer I'll be a General."

John asks, "What's going on Will?"

"Those that agree with me are getting restless John; they want no part in the crusade Clark is instigating. It isn't a widely kept secret that the Mars Resistance was not responsible for the attack on the military posts. There is no concrete evidence linking Clark's involvement directly or indirectly but it is known. I believe by the end of the month Martial Law will declared for all Earth Alliance or EarthForce property. It was almost easy for me to see it when I was able to read up on the orders that haven't yet been sent out, things that would never be allowed."

"How can he give them then?"

"He can't do it unless he dissolves the Senate, but the orders are for three ships, ships I know personally and that won't follow them. The order will be to commence systematic bombardment of Mars's 'industrial centers', they just happen to be in the midst of the populations centers, from orbit, until Mars surrenders unconditionally and hands over Mars's Rebel Resistance leaders."

"Fuck" Xander groans and starts to stand, "William, if you'll excuse me I need to let Michael know."

John nods. "Relax Xander; he's already on his way."

Xander had really wanted to go so he could blow something up. John smirks just a bit at knowing that and Xander slumps ever so slightly.

After a moment to collect his bearing the General shares, "The plan is to retreat from EarthForce and regroup. I know that they'll already have the orders to issue a warrant printed up for when the three Commanders if they refuse the order. The three commanders are going to come over to my command when they're forced to choose between killing innocent people and fighting for them."

Xander lifted his hand before John could say a word. "If you would like I think we could set up some escape for the personal. I have a feeling that if Clark is involved than the Psi Core is as well and if that's the case than you have more to worry about then just them not going thru with it."

The general looked intrigued. "You think they are being set up?"

"Yes, if he's aware of their lack of commitment to his regime what better way to be rid of the thorn. Either they follow the orders and are held accountable for war crimes or they don't and are hunted down for violating orders."

General Hague winces and John nods.

When they didn't respond verbally Xander added, "If you would like I think we can talk to G'Kar and set up an alpha site on Narn that could hold the people manning ships. We can ensure they're all healthy and whole and don't have any telepathic triggers and such?"

William smiled. He liked Xander and thought the idea had merit. "Yes but what of the _Alexander_?"

"If you're leaving the post, I'd recommend leaving with a bang. Set a trap that will require them approaching you. Leave a large bomb that will take out all the ships that are attempting to murder you and let them think you are dead."

"How do I…" he paused. "How do we do this?"

Xander smiled as the plan was coming into place in his mind. "I have a perfect escape route. I'll have Egeria work on a quantum cascade explosive. We need to strip the Alexander of the non essential personal and any personals that they have…"

Michael from the doorway nods and interrupts, "We need to talk to G'Kar first."

William turned and started to talk but Michael held up his hand. "I already heard" he fingered the leather material under his collar. "Delenn is coming. G'Kar and Lennier are approaching Mollari. They have the ships that can help to set the trap and will need to be away from the area of space you want to set up your little doomsday weapon."

"Why would we need them to set the trap?"

Michael shrugs. "We really don't but it would help to have them steer clear of an area completely, whatever area you're about to enter, we don't want them to succumb to any trap we set for your pursuers."

Xander giggled, he couldn't help it. William turns to Xander, curious.

Xander looked sheepish and shares with the general, "I love to blow things up. I think we should visit the manor first and pick up the Irises."

Michael gestures at Xander, "The others will meet us near my quarters."

As they leave Xander commented to Michael, "You know, even we didn't get to the point we didn't need the cards that quickly."

It was a sure sign of a strong mind that the local staff could so easily use the collars without the trumps.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The LeVelle Manor was one of the curiosities back on Earth. Hague likes the manor and was glad that it was real. There were quite a few stories that it wasn't back home.

"This here is a new Iris; it goes on a watch and you see…" Xander pulled the watch open and it was about as big as a base ball. "They're for small deliveries only, secure messages and such. If you pull it out large enough to get thru the entire thing will only last for about five more minutes at the most. Once you get to the other side you can end the link easily but these are more for personal emergencies then ready use. They can however be used as a two way communication. Just in case you don't know the other personnel well enough to…" he gestures to Michael.

"I see" William nods. "Yes the telepathic collars are quite a marvel and the limitations make it quite difficult to be in contact with people that you don't know. I could give one of these to my second in command and he would have a verbal communication that could easily be relayed to a computer or such."

Xander nods. "It was just an idea I was toying with. The Irises we're going to use for this are over here."

G'Kar nods. "I have already received authorization from my government Xander. They are awaiting the Irises to set up the alpha site. We have set up lodgings and food replicators. There is plenty of room and if they wish to work, it is near an environmental restorations factory. It is already manned but if they wish to stay busy…"

"Indeed I do hope that we can resolve this quickly enough that they won't be dependant on your hospitality."

G'Kar waived his hand. "No need to worry, the food replicators are solar powered and the utilities are powered by the movement of air."

Things were on their way; the orders for orbital bombardment were pushed back due to some other reason. It may or may not have been due to the loss of Dr Jacobs' location, the personal physician of President Clark.

Xander worked quickly on setting up some evacuation Irises, chained together with the Irises on Narn, and grouped to allow transport to Blasedale then Narn. The runes to transport the Irises short distances were inscribed to each Iris, with the hope that the last individual left on the ship could pull the Irises to them and toss them thru the last Iris. Long distance transport for the Irises was possible but it wasn't FTL, only nearly as fast as light.

Dr. Jacobs started his trek for Babylon 5, hoping to find the resistance to Clark's regime who might wish to publish the very damning information on the coup d'état.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

It was July for Babylon 5, and therefore LeVelle Manor. Xander was working on the Skydancer in the yard enjoying the silence of LeVelle Manor. Eric was with Cordelia in Blasedale, they had left directly after he'd returned from the school on Prometheus. Xander had just hooked up the power to the replicator when Catherine Sakai came through the portal Lennier left on Minbar.

She smiled but seeing what Xander was doing her voice took on teasing tone, "Hey, you have my ship in pieces."

Xander turned as if caught red-handed and shrugged sheepishly. "I was curious; I installed a food processor on Babylon 5 a few weeks ago. The power drain was negligible. If you ever taker her deep again you'll be able to make whatever programs you've got for this."

"Really?" She peered at the replicator with a professional eye then smiled ever so slightly at Xander. Xander had asked if he could look into adding upgrades as practice so she wasn't upset it was after all a reason for her to leave it here.

"Yea, we have loads of foods and such, but we also have other things. Hell you can make gold or even Quantum-40 with it. G'Kar made the program for that. Granted there isn't enough to make you the money it would be worth in a short amount of time."

"But if you had several of them working in consort…" she offered with a smile and he nods.

"So what's the what?"

Confused at the turn of phrase, she mutters, "Pardon?"

Xander smiles at her and elucidates, "You came here for a reason other then to tease me about your ship?"

She giggled and nods. "I'm going thru ranger training. I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I picked up a couple of these Irises…"

"Sure" he shrugged and gestured. "They're on the table there." There was a work bench by the house that has several sealed Irises attached by a strap of what looked like leather.

She grinned. "Feel free to update anything you want for the Skydancer, Xander, but I'm not sure I'll ever be in the position to use it, and if anything happens to me, you make sure she has a good home."

He frowned at her.

Catherine shrugs, "Part of being a soldier is a willingness to live and die for the One."

"For the one?" It was almost incredulous.

She smiles, "The leader."

He nods; charismatic leadership aside he might be willing to live or kill for the one, but dying wasn't really on the agenda. "I think that Egeria is willing to use her as an experiment to see if we can add in the way of shields and propulsion. If it doesn't work it would be a way to at least prevent oncoming fire."

She nods that sounded interesting. She'd talked with Egeria only twice and they were short talks. Delenn and Dawnie had been more talkative and open to her. Then again Delenn was her friend and Dawnie a child so willing to be friends.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

John and Ivanova are in Bay 13. John had the hope of getting to know the Vorlon ambassador a bit more as he was the only one that hadn't really been open with communication.

"Why isn't there any other…?"

"We had to cordon off the area; evidently the workers claimed that the ship talked to them in their sleep." She shivered at the thought.

"I think we need to learn more about the Vorlon. Ambassador Kosh is the only one of the ambassadors that we have not included in some of the… our dealings."

"I agree sir, I…"

Garibaldi enters looking at John Sheridan, "Captain?"

They turn toward him questioningly, "Chief?"

Michael shares, "I just got word that a Dr Everett Jacobs is on the run and suspected to be in the area. He's the personal medical examiner for Clark, or he was."

John smiles, his eyes lighting up, "Really?"

"It was said that he had stolen top secret information on his person. I think this might be the break we've been looking for. I have the data file on the warrants here." The Chief hands the captain a data chip before he freeze as he felt something, unique emanating from the ship. He turned and lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "Did you know the ship was sentient?"

John looked surprised as well before he shook his head. "No." His voice didn't carry the feeling he felt, slightly left out that the ship had seemed to ping Michael and not him or Ivanova who had been here longer.

"It wasn't quite words, just a sharing of emotion. If I hadn't had experience with using the collar I wouldn't have even realized it. In fact I would have thought it was creepy." He smiled and pushed a pleasant emotion at the ship, it wasn't a communication so much as just emotion, a welcome to her gesture.

He smiled as the other two widened their eyes. "I felt that" John couldn't help but smile.

"Yes, she's quite friendly."

"We better go. I don't know if the Ambassador would take kindly to us communing with his ship, maybe I'll ask him about it later."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Dr Franklin had been quite worried about Dr. Jacobs, as he was close friends with the man that used to be a mentor and confidant and didn't believe the charges. He was just thankful that Michael was there to help. Without him he wasn't sure what they'd do.

"If we find him, Michael, Xander offered to put him up at the manor. There isn't a single scan that would show the LeVelle Manor and the Irises don't show up on the scans either."

"Good, do you think Jacobs is here?"

"I do." Franklin nods. "Call it a gut feeling but he knows I would protect him if he came to me."

"The only way he could move around at all freely is if he had an identicard."

Franklin asks, "So downbelow?"

"Yes, and we have to hurry. Cranston from EarthForce has informed Zack that all top officials were tagged. That means it won't take long to adjust the inner systems to conduct a low level search of Babylon 5, sector by sector."

"Do we know for sure that Everett has information on Clark?"

"Yes, General Hague sent his Intelligence Officer Sarah Garcia to brief me confirming the suspicions we had on Clark. She's the reason we know that Cranston is completely loyal to Clark and likely completely aware of not only the danger Dr Jacobs represents but also of the nature of the so called classified information he has."

"Good grief."

"Clark came down with the 'flu' twenty four hours prior to President Santiago's death, and he wasn't ill according to what Sarah shared."

"And Everett would have hard evidence for that."

Michael nods, "Which also explains the reason they are playing the holding game with the latest orders concerning Mars."

"Yes it would."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

John approached Kosh in the empty lift. "Ambassador, I was just informed you wanted to see me?"

Cryptically the encounter suit intoned, "It was you who wanted to see me."

John smiles slightly, feeling a sense of humor in the word choice. "I guess I do. I think everyone wants to know what you look like under that encounter suit."

"Most are not ready; they would not understand."

John thought a moment, and then asks, "Most?"

"There are some that would understand. The first step is to understand their purpose, their life, their choice."

"Am I ready?"

"No, you have only begun to understand yourself, in time perhaps…"

"Could you help me to understand you?"

Kosh counters, "Can you help me to understand you?"

"Well, I can try." He smiled and thought about. "Is this what you want, to exchange information?"

Almost disappointed the encounter suit voices, "No, you are not ready, go."

John curses mentally. "What is it that you want, what do you want from me?"

The encounter suit froze a moment, and John continues, "Damn it! You know, ever since I got here, I've had the feeling that you've been watching me. The records show you hardly ever went to council meetings until I showed up."

Hoping he was making some progress, John added, "I've thought before that you were reaching out to me, now you call me here and why, just to throw me out again, are we just toys to you, is that it, huh? What do you want?"

Kosh spins around to face Sheridan again. "Never ask that question."

John almost smiled at getting a response from the being. "So what will it be Ambassador?"

"You are not ready. I will teach you to be ready in time. Your friend, the visitor that has brought chaos and change, he is ready. He will help me teach you to be ready."

"Will you teach me about yourself?"

"About you, until you are ready."

John asks, "Ready for what?"

The voice sounded almost real, less synthesized as he responded, "Ready to fight legends."

John turned to leave but froze a moment. "Your ship, I thought you should know that we've…"

"I am aware. She approves of you three."

"It was… it was like she called to me?"

"She sought understanding, acceptance. She listened to the song and your thoughts became the song."

"Has it ever happened before?"

"It has." He turned as if dismissing the topic and John.

John felt the urge to flee the grieving soul. Somehow he knew Kosh was not speaking of the ship's actions any longer. It was luck the lift doors opened just then.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander steps into Bay 13. This was the bay that housed only Kosh's transport ship. He couldn't help but freeze for a moment. He felt the emotion from the ship and smiled. The ship was quite excited for some reason. Xander sent a calming emotion of joy towards her.

Kosh had been hesitant to speak with the chaos bringer, but the calming of his ship had made his choice for him. The ship would never forgive him if he turned the human away now. "You are getting acquainted."

Xander didn't jump but he had been startled. "She's quite amazing! Her emotions are unexpectedly complex while at the same time, so simple and overwhelming."

The turned to face the encounter suit, he couldn't help but wonder what was inside it. "How can anyone be around her and not feel what she's doing?"

Kosh spoke after a moment, "Most do not see what is. If they see, they do not understand."

Xander smirks a bit. "Understanding it a two edged sword, sometimes it's easier just to accept that which you cannot understand rather than try to understand something that is beyond you."

'_**There,' **_Xander felt it, _**'Kosh had a very pleased laugh mentally; it was humor and pride.'**_

"Are you ready?" Kosh was silent a moment, "Ready to understand… ready to fight legends?"

Xander nods. "If need be, but to fight just to fight? I don't think that's a good thing."

Kosh was quite a moment. "Good is subjective. It changes with time… with perception. If need be…"

"So I'm ready to understand, if need be, but what am I ready to understand?"

With a weight off his shoulders, metaphysically, Kosh turns towards the ship, and as if he was gesturing an opening ship appeared, "I believe the spider said it best?"

Xander chuckled and asks, "Wasn't that, 'Step into my parlor said the spider to the fly.'?"

Kosh enters the ship silently, the humor of the being emoting to Xander's mind.

Xander trails after him and the ship seals behind them.

As the encounter suit hissed to open, Xander hears a mental warning from Kosh, _**'Shield your retinas they will need a moment and it is quite luminescent.'**_

Xander felt awed. Kosh was an angel, glowing in light. He felt the urge to think of all the biblical and other religious philosophies that had angels in them. Though there was a part of him that understood that this was a biological response to his physical manifestation.

"Why are you showing me your form? I mean you've kept it hidden all this time."

Kosh's voice is soft as if an angel was speaking, "It is time to speak face to face. The genetic make up of humanity and the other races are predisposed to think of my race with a certain understanding. It can be hazardous to have them follow us as such, as we are not gods, though not for a lack of trying."

Xander quirks his lips into a half smile; there was a dark humor about that last statement which didn't project Kosh positive opinion concerning the rest of the Vorlon Race.

"You showed me because I would and could reign in my instinct to think of you as a creature of the heavenly realms?"

The angelic figure nods, "You have the understanding that not all heavenly creatures are after the same things. You have an understanding of awareness that others lack. You have a strong enough will to embrace your choice, to know who you are."

"But what is my purpose here? Now that I know this how will it shape the future?"

The angelic being almost smirked, "Chaos is your gift and it shrouds the darkness of the future. Chaos becomes a hazard to any who would seek too much control. My race has weaknesses. Arrogance is one of the most predominant but not the greatest threat to our existence, the real weakness is the need for order above all else."

Xander winced at the thought of the PTBs wiping out the Scoobies because they didn't follow the preplanned game play, "That could be a weakness… if they don't conform, you wipe them out?"

"There are some that tend to feel that way. It however would not be orderly to go against those higher in the order."

"You, you're the checks and balance in that?"

"I am the seeker of understanding, the leader of my people's understanding, the precipice of acceptance and guidance when chaos begets destruction."

"And me, I'm a wrench in the grand plan?" he asked, hoping that he wasn't going to get killed before he left the ship.

"You are a wrench in the works, but the works were so dark that… you are the wrench that tightens the nuts and bolts in the workings of order. You are beyond my kin in some things."

Xander blinked in surprised and then blushed. The musical laughter of Kosh was unexpected. Xander felt the tendrils of laughter sent out not just to him and the ship but to what he thought might be other Vorlon, only laughter and emotion.

"You are of the light Xander, never fear that you are not."

Xander smiled and felt a gentle loving caress of emotion from the ship.

"She desires to share with you, if you will have her share."

Xander shrugs; not quite understanding he manages out, "Sure."

Xander was hit with a wide array of emotions, mostly positive but there was anger in there too, it was overwhelming in every sense of the word and he would have to return to the LeVelle Manor to change his underwear after he left here.

"She has produced an offspring," Kosh sounded amused and surprised. "She wishes you to care for the offspring as you would for her."

Xander couldn't help but gawk at the child – a glowing worm like shape that was as big as a forearm.

"She will need nutrition; I will provide you with a… recipe."

Xander felt the baby move and it seemed to open up and latch onto Xander's left arm as though it was a hand grabbing a finger. Xander couldn't help but smile at the small glowing ship to be.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Dr Franklin and Michael found Everett Jacobs; he was in Brown Sector downbelow. "Everett?"

The doctor turned stunned. "Stephen?"

"Yea, I'm here with Michael, a friend. We need to get you someplace safe. I need you to trust me."

"Stephen of course I trust you."

Michael tells him as he starts to pull open the Iris, "I have the Iris right here."

"Iris?"

Stephen nods, "A transport to the manor just over the Horizon."

Michael shared the plan with a commanding presence, "I'll go first, and then you two. I'll come back and take it to your quarters, Stephen."

Dr. Franklin looks him in the eyes and gives him a half nod, "Thank you, Michael."

Everett Jacobs asks his friend, "Are you sure I'll be safe there?"

Dr Franklin nods with a smile, "We'll remove the tag you have but it wouldn't matter there if it wasn't removed."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Dawn was at LeVelle Manor when Michael Garibaldi's Iris sprang to life and rushed to see who was arriving in the yard. She was surprised by Michael's entrance but not nearly as surprised as she was by his hat.

Giggling Dawn comments, "Nice hat!"

Two more people step thru while Michael is blushing slightly.

Controlling her giggles, Dawn holds out a hand, "Hello, I'm Dawn."

Michael gestures to the two doctors, "Dr. Franklin and Dr. Jacobs. Xander said it was alright for him to stay here for a while at least."

"Doctor?" Dawn perks, her eyes lighting up, "Two of them?" It was her actual age coming out but Dawn was almost bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Thank you so much, Michael. I'll make sure we have the rooms."

Michael held up a hand, "Now wait a moment, Dr. Franklin isn't…"

"Oh pishposh" Dawn said. "I'll make sure they have a room here at any rate."

Michael sighed thinking the Captain was going to have his head for losing them their doctor as Franklin wasn't going to want to leave. It had been a reason why he'd been hesitant on showing the man all the advanced technology they had from _The Joyce_.

As a short reminder Michael surrenders, "Just remember Babylon 5 needs you Dr. Franklin."

Stephen realized that the girl was playing with Michael, teasing him. It was after a fashion that Stephen Franklin wasn't used to with people around Michael. Simply put most were not at ease with the chief of security unless it was Michael's intent for them to be at ease and that normally felt quite false to the doctor. This teasing however felt as thought the young girl thought of Michael Garibaldi as family which caused the good doctor to smile.

Dr. Franklin offered up his own teasing, "I'm sure I'll be back soon. I would not want Agent Cranston to become suspicious of my absence."

Garibaldi grumbles, "Same here."

"Tell me my dear" Dr. Jacobs said. "Why were you excited about my being a doctor?"

"Well, I've been studying and I think I'm a decent medic but I just don't have the education to really consider anything more than what I've done."

Everett smiles widely, "Really, I think we're going to get along just fine. Oh, Stephen, if you would, I have a data crystal that needs to be delivered to a General William Hague."

Dawn spoke up, "I think John can send it to him Dr. Franklin, but we should wait until they've searched Babylon 5 first."

Stephen nods, "I'll check but we should leave it here until they have."

"It is quite amazing here, are you sure they can't pick up the tags on me?"

Dawn nods. "Sure, but first lets see if we can remove them and get a check up for you, you look exhausted. I think if you're willing we can even use the Dargol Serum on you."

"What is this serum?" Dr Franklin asks.

"It's a biological regression, a simple shot. We dye your hair and you'll not only look years younger but be years younger biologically."

"You can do that?" Franklin and Jacobs were surprised.

"Yes, it's already been tested and approved. Come I'll show you the results."

"Perhaps I can help you when this over with, I was a fine teacher in my day."

"He was" Franklin agreed with a wide smile.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4


	10. Chapter 10

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Beta by cj_cold

Chapter 10: Escape, Evade, Build

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Harry Potter was in bed. Beside him exhausted with a smile on her face was Rebecca Horne. She was a professor at his school this last two terms, not that he spent any time as a student of her class, no the only thing she instructed him on at Hogwarts this last year was swords and martial arts. Though it could be argued that she instructed him on subtle flirting as well but not argued well after he had three plus girlfriends before the flirting started.

This first summer of adulthood was something he would always treasure, and it was almost over. He now realized that he'd been played by Ginny a month ago, a month ago at Alexander's baby shower slash birthing day. Baby showers were female only events so it was more of a zero years old birthday. He pondered the idea of being a father as that was what he was meant to be trying to become with this enormous amount of sex but that was impossible using traditional methods due to Rebecca being immortal. That was how Ginny had set him up, sex without any risk of pregnancy and with someone old enough to have been parents to the founding four meant that Harry's education in the sack had just been boosted to near godhood when it came to skill. It could be argued that every woman was different but there are some things that the same on everyone.

He smiled at the sleeping form and moved his hand under the covers. Rebecca's eyes shot open in surprised shock as she felt what he was doing.

Her voice was throaty with need, "Oh darling don't stop that."

"I don't know, maybe we should stick with what could get you pregnant?"

She moaned with need and he grinned viciously as he leaned in for a kiss.

Rebecca had many young lovers in her time. When you reached several hundred years old you stopped worrying over the nuances of age measured in years. There was a fine line between adult and child and it was there in both the physical and emotional. Harry had crossed that line early in life for the majority of his personality, even if he crossed back over a time or two over the years since. Physically, he was as mature as he was going to get for a while. With Prolong Harry would slowly mature over the next half a decade, it was the final two years of growth that slowed with the latest generation of Prolong by her understanding. It was also a side effect of making the Prolong the most productive. It amazed her when she thought of it. She had hoped before she met those from LeVelle Manor to one day fly a space ship. It had been a recent hope when she realized how quickly the mortals were advancing in that field. She never even thought of jumping to another realm to do it.

Suddenly she was thoughtless as her mind blanked with a surprise orgasm. That was the funny thing about Harry Potter. She was sure she had never had a lover that was quite so inventive in bed.

She moved and pushed him down on his back before she maneuvered herself overtop of him. "Love, I think it's time I return the favor."

She sunk down around him and using a technique she'd mastered year previous she flexed muscles in her leg to give him the pressure that would ensure his orgasm lasted longer than usual and was much deeper.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Albus sat in his office at Hogwarts a smile adorned his face. He had been surprised by Professor Horne's current relationship with a student. He had verified that the relationship had not developed inside the classroom, for the sake of satisfying the letter of the bi-laws for Hogwarts. He had no idea they were remotely interested in one another before and even now he suspected that if the immortal had not been so board physically it may not have occurred.

He chucked at that.

Minerva asks. "What is it Albus?"

"I was thinking of the young ones and Rebecca."

By her face's expression Albus thought Minerva didn't approve, "She is old enough that she aught to know better."

Albus shrugged, "Perhaps she's old enough to understand as well as has a willingness to pay the cost of a relationship with the young man."

Minerva sighs, "She isn't directly one of his teachers so it isn't like she used her position to her advantage. I think young Ginevra pushed the issue just a bit."

Albus was surprised, "Truly, I didn't know that."

Minerva nodded, "Oh yes, I spoke with Ginevra and Miss Granger about it; Ginevra more so than Hermione."

Albus nods, "Did she give a reason? I mean if it wasn't told to you in confidence…"

Minerva smiled a tad, "She said that it might speed things up a bit and she heard that bad habits in bed are often learned from bad lovers and with Rebecca she didn't think Harry would pick up any."

Albus blinked and laughed, "She's using her to train him up?"

"I gather that Rebecca wishes to have Harry father a child and sex will not propitiate conception. Ginevra suggested they try anyway. They are going to be working with Dawn at LeVelle Manor just prior to September to ensure a child is conceived."

Albus grins, "An immortal and a wizard's genetics. I will endeavor to insure the name is in the book of names."

Minerva looked disturbed, "I do wonder how long they will humor us with their attending Hogwarts."

"Minerva?"

"Oh I know they will not stop teaching their children and children's children magic but they have attended EDC High a number of times and I have heard that even Mr. Weasley is going to plan on attending a university on Manticore after Hogwarts. I just wonder if they will see our curriculum outdated eventually."

Albus winced, "They may, but I somehow don't think it is the curriculum that pulls them in. Tell me are you planning on using the Dargol Serum and the Prolong?"

She looked at him questioningly.

"Xander has offered and I have been seriously considering it. Nicolas stone never regressed age. It might have frozen the aging process or slowed it down severely but it never reversed it. There are some healing spells that can be used like that but they aren't quite as effective and Nicolas was never quite as fit as he was as a teen. I can understand his and his wife's desire rest in piece quite easily. In fact their hardship was one of the reason I never became tempted to use the stone myself, it just wasn't worth if for any amount of time."

Minerva nodded, "I have thought of it and I think I will." She smiles, "To be a young kit again."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Hermione sighs with affection. Ron and Luna were in her bed and cuddling. She was in the muggle world but with the last year the two had learned more about the muggle world than most magicals from her world ever do, mostly while at LeVelle Manor. Not that Rebecca was a professor to spare them an ounce of leeway, not in her role as Muggle Studies Professor anyway.

Hermione was at her parents' home for most of this holiday. She was debating telling them or not about the other realms. Xander had approved but said it would need to be her choice.

The Grangers understood her sharing her bed with the girl and boy. She still recalled the words, "You're and adult now and it's your choice who you share your body with."

'_**I wonder how far I could push them and allow them to maintain that 'it's acceptable' veneer they always maintain. Will they reject me for stepping over the line or failing?'**_ Hermione's parents had never rejected her so it was not a logical fear but then fear usually wasn't logical.

It was the last week of summer vacation perhaps Hogwarts would distract her some.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The escape plan Xander and John had formed with General Hague was delayed on implementation. With the escape of Dr. Jacobs and the presenting evidence that could see the President charged with treason, conspiracy to commit murder, and attempted murder, it was obvious to Clark's people where the good doctor was or at least who had Dr. Jacobs. It was for this reason Clark pushed up his time table and declared Martial Law on all Earth Alliance territory or _'perceived domain'_.

The blatantly obvious attempt to trap the command staff and crew of the ships who opposed Dictator Clark's rule was already prepared for, as well as the charges of treason when the ships and crew refused to surrender or any order.

The ships refused the order to bombard Mars population centers; however they unexpectedly did so thru a public transmission. This public transmission allowed Mars' population to discover Clark's plans and to prepare for the next batch of ships, the new ships would not hold back due to some moral objection.

With the task done the ships crew set their self destruct on all three ships. When the ships are fired upon they'll respond under computer control while the crew abandons the soon to be destroyed ships. The last Iris would relay the transmission of what exactly was going on to Narn recording and relaying exactly what the ships scanners were reading and the outcome. The signal was converging with the information relayed from Mars's surface and bunkers to Babylon 5 to Michael.

The plan worked like a well maintained machine. They took a small portion of the fleet loyal to Clark with the three ships around Mars while another portion was after the _Alexander_. The _Alexander_ was a tough nut, they had a skeleton crew manning the stations but when they slept they did so at the Narn base camp and those crews were altered out and kept refreshed. The crews from _EAS Georgia, EAS Nottingham, _and_ EAS Churchill_ were also on Narn at the base camp, their own boredom led to their assisting the crew of the _Alexander_ whenever they could.

The _Alexander_ really shouldn't have been that much more difficult of a target but they were. They didn't go to Babylon 5 space for protection, that might have actually worked, but the best part of this plan was that they could deprive the enemy of the kill. There was no doubt the enemy may be working with Clark, but the real enemy was the Shadows.

Major Ed Ryan asks the General with some humor, "Do you think they'll catch us this time, sir?"

"You know when I agreed to this plan I didn't realize how hard it was going to be to get the incompetent asses that work for Clark to actually do their damn job. I'm beginning to think that the Rebel Faction forming could use an added Omega Class Destroyer."

Major Ryan laughs. Lieutenant Trainor spoke up, "It looks like there are several ships ahead, sir. They just appeared and they match the configuration Babylon 5 gave us for Shadow ships, sir."

"Shit" William growled. "This is General Hague, report to your Irises, NOW!"

"We aren't going to fight them?"

"No," he smiled. "Those damned ships might slip away if they run or if we fight. They want to know what we know, so they'll approach if we do nothing that's overtly hostile."

Major Ryan mumbles, "I really hope that device works."

The General nods, "I'm sure it will. Did you launch the relay drone to watch and record? I want to ensure there is nothing left here and I'm curious as to who might show up after."

William nods "Yes sir, it was launched automatically when you gave the order for the Irises."

"Thank you Bill, you go ahead." He turned to Ed. "I really hope the Iris on the drone outlasts the explosion. Xander assured me it would but they've never tested it so there is a chance…"

Major Ryan reassures the General, "I'm sure it will work, sir."

"I'll be along in a moment. I need to say goodbye."

William was half temped to stay for a front row seat, he loved his ship but with a sigh he summoned the Irises to his position. One at a time they appeared, shrinking as they did and he tossed them thru, counting them off as he did. Then he turned to the screen and with a low growl not easily heard he conveys his last comment, "So long mother fuckers!"

It wasn't long, the watch Iris was small and the protective runic shield worked as Xander had hoped it would against the blast. The hidden drone relayed the information as it occurred and Alpha Narn recorded it. Narn would celebrate the destruction of four Shadow vessels with recordings to cheer on. The fact that two more Shadows and a destroyer class vessel not registered to any of the known Earth Alliance military was also recorded. The information meant more to their intelligence analysts than anything else.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Michael entered the Captain's quarters. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

John gestures to table and Michael who smiled at the Italian food sitting on the table. "Sit with me, eat some food, and share what you know; how are the Mars refuges coming along?"

With a smile Garibaldi did just that, "I set up two Irises; Narn and Centauri are seeing to shelter for several Martian families. Xander has set up an estate on Earth between Blasedale and San Vale. He said it could be used as a third location but we must be cautious about what goes there and who, they're real sticklers for any kind of firearms, even non-lethal ones."

"I know about Blasedale and San Vale. They have quite a bit of technology there that humans developed on their own. It's intriguing what humanity achieved there without outside assistance or interference."

Michael takes a bite of the pasta with a smiling nod. John couldn't tell if the chief's smile was at the observation or at the food.

Swallowing his food Michael shares, "I talked with Carlos Ramirez, he's aware of some of the technology they have at LeVelle Manor. They healed up from radiation poisoning after we rescued you from the Streib. He's visited Narn and set up flight simulators for the Starfuries then did the same on the Blasedale Site. It isn't exactly by the book but it should help alleviate some of the stress and help their pilots keep their skills from atrophying."

John could help but shake his head while thinking of the vast size of the two locations. With a touch of humor he had to ask, "Is there anyone left on Mars?"

Michael took the question seriously, "Oh they have underground bunkers, a number of Irises and replicators for Oxygen and food. The normal power supplies they have there would run out in a couple of weeks if they didn't have a re-supply."

While tried to politely gulp down a rather large meatball without spilling sauce, John took a guess at what was to come next, "And they've been stockpiling weapons of course for when EarthForce realizes the bombardment isn't doing a thing."

"I'm just glad the Churchill replied publicly to the orders, it bought the civilians enough time to scramble and scatter to the underground bunkers. Do you think General Hague will be content to sit on his hands at the Narn base camp?"

John half shrugs, "I'm not sure. The General has always been a doer. Last I heard he was working with Narn and Centauri to help build a joint command. His crew seems to be as helpful in building a ship as they would be running one."

Michael nods; he thought, _**'The idea of a joint command is quite intriguing, I wonder if that would have worked for human and Minbari when they started the Babylon Project.'**_

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander buzzes the door, "Come in."

Xander enters and smiles, "Captain?"

John returned his expression with relief. The last few days had been busy and the fear of Clark's forces showing up at any moment was not lost on the two.

"Xander, I didn't expect to see you today."

Xander shrugs, "I was doing some reflection and figured I'd sound you out on an idea."

John nodded and waved his hand to the chair.

Xander took the seat and faced the captain, "Do you still have that guy, Morden, in a cell?"

John winced, he'd wanted to turn him over to EarthForce but hadn't. Part of that reason had been the dead look in the man's eyes, but the real hesitation was because he didn't trust EarthForce after finding out more about the Shadows and their possible involvement with Clark's administration. It wasn't as if Morden was complaining or demanding legal representation so he'd not been in any real hurry to deal with, legally.

Finally nodding the captain told him, "I didn't feel comfortable sending him to Earth."

Xander half winces as he shares, "We know that he was a puppet for the Shadows, we know that he was likely wherever the Shadows have a base, and I'm sure that whatever the Shadows did to him physically could be undone."

John looked him over carefully and inquires, "You really didn't like him so why are you thinking of ways to help him?"

Xander shrugs casually, "I wasn't really, but I think Kosh might be able to gain some information from him and do whatever it is his people do with those that have aligned with the Shadows, and we can do it all legit like."

His California nineties accent was showing through just a bit there and John smirks at the words, "Legit like?"

Xander nods almost eagerly. "Morden's pet Shadows surely had some mental contact with Kosh's ship. How could they not? It wouldn't be proper to allow a malicious entity to desecrate someone's ship like that and not find out what he did."

John blinked, silent for a moment in surprise before he shook his head. "I'll talk to Kosh and I think we can fill out the proper paperwork for it due to the fact that the pets were maliciously telepathic."

Xander smiled and nodded. "I get the feeling that there might be a need for us to know exactly what changes Morden went thru and if they needed to be willing to go thru the changes beforehand."

John winced at the possible implications. "You don't think the changes were forced on…"

"Not on him, but Ambassador Kosh might know more about it and so long as we aren't trying to replicate Shadow technology they might be willing to help and then we can find a way to either stop it or reverse it."

John nods, "Speaking of telepathic issues, are you planning on checking Miss Winters soon. Susan isn't sure if she's picking up on things or not, even with the collar."

With a reluctant sigh of a boy who was told not to procrastinate and do his chores, Xander nods, "I'll head there now; I just finished a few upgrades on my runic collar that should make it easier."

John knew that was just an excuse as Xander had put the task off because of sheer procrastination only compounded by the fact that Talia Winters avoided him for some reason.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander pushed out with his mind and focused in on anyone near Talia Winters. He couldn't help but smile, he'd felt the living ship who bonded to him give him a mental nudge when he pushed his mind out, all the way from the Manor. He'd named her Rose, he was going to name her Rover but that sounded like a male dog's name and the name Buffy was taken. He'd been firmly reminded of that fact by both Dawnie and Dawn when he'd only jokingly suggested it.

Xander's mind clearly understood from Rose that she was currently playing tag in the yard with Buckbeak and Eric. He picked up quite a few thoughts from the Manor but the gist of it was that there was no school today. General Hammond had announced a day off and that it had nothing to do with the current Crisis EDC was experiencing. Xander couldn't help but wonder what was going on aboard the Prometheus as he approached the dinning hall.

As if on queue, Talia paid for her food and left it half eaten almost as soon as she'd seen him. Xander winced at the almost oblivious and confused look Talia had on her face as she left. He followed her and then vanished with a pop and landed in front of her, he slammed into her shields with a solid push of mental force and she fell unconscious. He sighed and flamed with the telepath to Garibaldi's quarters.

'_**Dawn, could you bring me my Pensieve please?'**_

Dawn steps thru the Iris with the large Pensieve. She notices the unconscious blond and frowns at Xander, "What did you do?"

"I shut her mental processing down completely; she'll be asleep for about two hours. That should be enough time to completely remove the second personality."

"So she has one?"

Xander nods, "Yes, and it's completely dominant over the acting surface persona."

It took more than two hours and Talia woke while he was removing a memory, luckily she was able to observe the memory he was removing and didn't fight it.

After vomiting in Michael's bin she hoarsely asks, "What did you do to me?"

"I removed the controlling triggers Psi Corp implanted in you. You're your own telepath now. I also set a trap; any telepath entering your mind will need you to give them permission mentally and even with that you'll have a full mental second that the invader will be completely at your mercy, this way you can evaluate their intentions and motives. After that if they are hostile you can burn their intrusion, it won't matter how powerful their telepathic ability is."

"Can you do that for anyone?"

"No" he shook his head. "The tigers they had set up for your hidden personality set the ground work and there is no way I would set the same ground work for anyone."

She looked surprised and thankful. "Now here's this, it's a collar. Go talk to Ivanova and tell her I said you're clean to know everything."

She felt she was missing something. "What is this strip of leather for?"

"Susan will explain." He smiled and shooed her out.

He would tear the memories apart and save the part of them that would no doubt have some value in the future. It was going to take some time. He also removed a memory of her being raped as part of the conditioning even if it wasn't real it was real enough.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Egeria was thrilled. Harry had been oh so helpful with the shields and Ron had been helpful with the sex as a relief valve for her stress. She'd not realized how pent up she'd become and she'd avoided the idea of joining Xander's girls in bed, even is she was allowed she felt ill at ease with it. She couldn't understand why that was but she knew she was.

Harry asks, "Have you finished modulating the frequency for the node?"

Nodding Egeria reminds him, "Yes, but we still need to test it!"

Harry agrees, "Xander said we can use the docking extension arm and test it over Epsilon III."

"If it works we'll have a way to add this to the larger ships without it interfering with the wedges."

"The wedges are a bit heavier then the propulsion these ships use. I'm not sure it will work quite the same."

She nods. "But I'm not shielding the entire ship only side walls, down the throat, and up the kilt shots."

"I think it would be better to work on LACs for Grayson and then work up to adjusting larger ships. You'll need less material and if we screw it up, which I'm sure we will in the beginning, it won't have taken nearly the time."

She reluctantly nodded before changing the subject. "EDC High is still in session. I think Hermione and Luna are there now. Did you attend this summer too?"

Harry nods with some excitement, "I've checked over some of the curriculum, I think it's a good idea to help us catch up to speed. To most we're just human aliens."

He was grinning at that and she giggled before she frowned at him in thought. He was lifting the ship with a levitation spell over to the docking extension. "You do know how to fly this right?"

Harry smirks and confidently shares, "I can fly anything!"

Curiously she asks, "Really?"

"Yea, it's an affinity I guess. Simulations will help hone my skills but if I can get some real flight experience first the simulations will work a hell of a lot better."

She grinned. "There isn't much room in here but we're not going to fly the Skydancer too much."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

'_**Captain we have a problem' **_Michael sent to Captain Sheridan through the collars.

John sent back, _**'Yes?'**_

'_**It seems that Clark has instigated the formation of a new security force called Night Watch.'**_

He pressed his communication pad. "Michael, why don't you and Talia come to my quarters, I'll be there in about ten minutes."

'_**Thank you, captain; Talia has been itching to help out now that she realized she'd avoided certain extremes because of the programming.'**_

"We're on our way."

'_**Talia, Michael here, the captain wants to talk about this new group forming. Do you have a feel for the names I gave you?'**_

'_**Yes, Michael. Do be a dear though and allow me to finish what I'm doing right now before you bug me.'**_

Michael couldn't help but shiver. Susan had taken off early that day and had a smile on her face that he was sure was anticipation. He really didn't want to pull her away from that right just then.

'_**John, I think five minutes might be a bit short. Talia is with Susan right now and if we interrupt them we won't have to worry about Clark.'**_

There was some humor in the thought returned by the captain, _**'Understood. I'm off for the night; would you like to join me and Delenn for drinks?'**_

'_**Sure, maybe we could ask Xander to look the Night Watch personnel over as well; Talia isn't as efficient on reading them without touching them as he is.'**_

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Frank Bartholomew Parker blinks with surprise. "You want me to what?"

Samantha Carter grinned at Frank's response; it was similar to how Jack would react. "We want you to join our program."

"What program?"

"I would normally say you have to see to believe but in this case I don't think you do. The fact that you've had prior contact with Alien artifacts is a point in your favor. The SGC is a sub division of the EDC, Earth Defense Command, you'd be on my team and we're a first contact team."

Almost incredulously, "You want me to play nice with a bunch of aliens?"

Dealing with Jack had prepared her for simple responses, "That and kill the bad ones."

"If I agree, do… do you have room for a Russian scientist?"

Sam blinked in confusion for a moment and then it hit her. She snapped her fingers, "That scientist Olga Vulcan or something from the Backstep program, but I thought she was dead?" The sadness in her tone told Frank he could trust her.

"I know where Olga _Vukavitch_ is staying. If you want I could call her, she's… she's safe for now and I really don't know how long she'll be safe in the future."

"Oh the NID think she's dead. If we move fast enough we'll cut them off at the knees."

He smiled at the thought of depriving them of anything, "Not one of their fans either?"

Sam shook her head. "They were willing to threaten my former CO's grandchildren to force him into early retirement."

Frank winces, thinking of the families of his dead friends. "They slaughtered the entire group, anyone who knew anything about the project except for me. I killed the seven men they sent after me and then let the last one go with a promise of a dead man switch, my high tolerance for pain ensures they won't break me, and I have a talent for slipping the leash easily."

Samantha gives him a grin as she nods, "One of the reason we picked up on your profile."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Gibbs entered NCIS Director Tom Morrow's office.

"Jethro, please sit."

Gibbs kept his baring but asks, "What's going on Tom." You don't enter the conversation with a _sit_ and a first name without wanting something.

"I've been informed that I'm not to sway you and those working for me away from a position that I've officially not been informed of. However the man in the large oval office said he owed me a favor and shared something. I would recommend that you take seriously whatever offer you receive from the representative coming in about five minutes. I'm of the mind that I'm actually a tad jealous. You, Dr. Mallard, and Abigail are all going to be offered the position and as of five minutes ago all three of you are on paid time off so you can actually see what the offer is. The other two are on their way."

Gibbs blinked in shock, the smiling face and twinkling eyes told him it was a joke but the respectful tone and actual jealousy, he could almost taste that, meant it was for real, whatever it was.

"I'll take it under advisement sir."

The two Tom mentioned enter the director's office just right on time, "Gibbs!" Abby shouts, then with a whining child tone asks, "Why are they demanding I leave my lab!?"

Gibbs smiled and puts an arm halfway around her in comfort, "I don't know Abby, but we'll find out."

Ducky smiled widely, "Indeed, I was told it would be most informative."

Tom Morrow asks, "What did you find out from your contact?"

"Oh, I'm sure my contact isn't anymore informed than yours."

Tom almost groaned aloud at the normally prattling M.E. The President would only go so far as to share that it involved alien technology and if they chose to they'd 'live the dream'. It was enough to inspire his curiosity even more and leave nothing answered. Even his connects in the CIA had been unable to tell him anything.

Samantha Carter knocked on the door.

Tom calls out, "Enter!"

"All three are here, good." Sam turned to face Thomas, "I was told by the President that you would be allowed to come along for the initial tour but only if you sign an NDA and only the initial tour."

Director Morrow blinked in surprise and grinned widely.

Abby whines, "What's going on Gibbs?"

Sam locked the door and said, "This way" as she pulled out what looked like some kind of tire. Sam tossed the enlarging circle against the wall. "Five coming thru we need a standby."

Gibbs, staring at the hole in the wall asks, "Standby?"

A man came thru dressed in air force regulation uniform and saluted, "I'm your standby ma'am."

"Can't just leave the hole here without a standby; he has a radio in case you're needed in an emergency Director Morrow."

The man nodded.

Abby was whispering as she babbled, "You can't just walk thru a wall! What is that? It doesn't even leave…"

Gibbs pulled her along and she widened her eyes as she took in everything while walking into a never environment.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Gibbs had a fairly good idea of what his future included, and it had never really included further military service. He was worried that they were going to ask him to reenlist. He really didn't want to but he would if asked, for this.

The Director had left two hours ago and the tour had become much more a pitch and now he was waiting for the hook.

"So what we really want to have is a completely civilian team with some military discipline who'll be able to work with SG Op teams. The program would be called OWI, Off World Investigations. You'd have the full backing of the different military legal agencies. I believe they are looking for a few JAG officers to help head it up. Our Doctor in charge of medical treatment is a good doctor and has dealt quite a bit with investigating health issues and what causes them but already has her hands full and their only getting fuller. We're trying to delegate a good portion of the tasks she'd normally do."

She was looking at Dr. Mallard.

Ducky nods his understanding, "I'm used to dealing with things that were from criminal intent and have a certain way of examining things that she would pass over. I can understand what you mean. I will only need to adjust my perception to include things caused by…" he blinked and smiled, "Alien sources."

Jethro Gibbs smiled at Ducky's last two words. "I bet you never thought you'd say that seriously."

Abby was quite excited. "Do you have any idea…" she stated to babble and Jethro smiles at the child like vigor of the girl he thought of as a daughter at times.

"I think I speak for both these two when I say that we're interested."

Sam smiled "Good. Even with the added pay, I can't say for the stress that is cost effective; but we do have a good set of perks."

Abby blinks. "Perks?"

"There are things that we can't make public for reasons of national if not world security. Just for example, as soon as you signed the NDA Dr. Frasier started to help Mrs. Mallard with a treatment that includes nanotechnology we borrowed from a friend and ally."

Ducky's voice broke, "My mother?"

"She'd already passed the background check. We're trying to keep things in-family for those who are in the know and her history as a teacher will be, if she wishes to continue, a wonderful asset. I'm sure if you want to head thru those doors, you can go see her now."

Ducky was on his feet and thru the doors.

Almost coldly Gibbs observed, "That was well played."

"She has Alzheimer's. The nanotech treatment will eliminate it completely and she'll live another couple of decades if she doesn't want to teach, if she does there's the Elixir, a serum she'll be given that will make her about twenty years old on a physical level and she'll live another several hundred."

Gibbs blinked and she nodded.

"Not everyone is taking the Prolong option, but those who take the Dargol Serum are. Once her mind is clear, they'll ask her about teaching before they'll ask her about her age. We don't want to blackmail people into it… if you know what I mean?"

He did and he noted personally that Ducky wasn't told until they accepted it, not that it would have mattered if he turned it down, he would still have his mother's health and they likely wouldn't ask her to teach. It was a small risk it seemed and the perks of longevity were something he would have to consider worth it. He wasn't a spring chicken anymore.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Moving onto the Prometheus had been a short thing for Gibbs. He'd had very large quarters and was able to put his boat into an area that he could work on it. How they knew he would have it, he'd have to guess at for now, but he was thrilled with the arrangements. Abby's quarters were next door and Ducky's was four doors down. After moving in, before they got to work on setting up the OWI, they were all to take a few classes.

As they sat Gibbs noted a young dark haired woman asks another girl, "So who's teaching the class today, I noticed that it was all adults today?"

"I'm not sure but the Tok'ra has been really good about giving lectures."

"Excuse me" Gibbs spoke up. "We're new, but Tok'ra?"

Ducky spoke up, "The symbiote species similar in make up to the Goa'uld, I believe?"

The elder girl nodded. "I just call them Goa'uld. Egeria never minds but they get really tetchy about it here. Sorry, I'm Cordelia Chase LeVelle of Kalderash; this is Dawn Summers LeVelle of Kalderash."

"Jethro Gibbs, this is Abigail Scutio." He gestures to Abby.

"Call me Abby."

He continued as if he'd not been interrupted, "… and this is Dr. Donald Mallard, we call him Ducky."

Dawn blinks and smiles, "As in quacks?"

Ducky grinned back at her and nods.

Dawn looks him up and down, almost sexually but not quite, "Maybe after the class we can get together so I can pick your brain?"

"Oh behave Dawn."

Dawn stuck her tongue out at Cordelia. "It's good to get as much understanding from the medical standpoint of different doctors who're trained in different ways as you can."

With a put upon expression Cordelia sighs, "Yes, I know."

"Oh look! It's Martouf and Lantash."

Abby asks, "Who?" she was looking and only saw one person.

Cordelia gestures, "The man dressed strangely is Martouf and he's host to Lantash."

"Egeria said that they are too separated emotionally to use just one name. She and her host merged when she was very young and as a slave her host didn't have much of a self identity, which isn't the case for most of the Tok'ra."

"Her host was a slave before…?" Abby started to ask.

Dawn nods, "Yea, she took her as a host to stop the Jaffa from raping her. The Jaffa race sees the Goa'uld as a god so they wouldn't dare risk the wrath of one to get…"

"Don't be vulgar Dawn." Cordy chastised lightly and then turned to Abby, "She's right though, but that didn't stop a bastard Goa'uld from taking her captive and doing the same."

Jethro winced, but stayed silent. He would have to look into some of the alien practices.

Lantash's reverberating voice sounded out as his eyes glowed, "Thank you all for coming today."

Abby couldn't help it. "Whoa" she whispered and Ducky was nodding it was almost like some kind of supernatural possession he'd read horror stories about as a child.

"The first thing we are going to cover today is the use of crystalline storage of information…" he started to talk about the uses of crystals, how to determine what types of crystals could be used and identifying the differences. It was interesting while being short and to the point. The pictures he had of where they were located on the ship and such meant that Gibbs could see their importance.

Jethro briefly wondered a touch worried, if he was always going to feel a bit over his head when dealing with the technology. Abby seemed to completely understand it, and Ducky wasn't quite oblivious either. By the end of the lecture Jethro couldn't tell you much but he could follow directions if he was told what to do and wouldn't me that much of a hindrance.

As the lecture ended Jethro realized it was meant to be a familiarization orientation. The class was about an hour long, a quarter of which was covering the different locations certain crystals would be found while on this ship or a ship of similar design.

"Do you have any idea why we needed to be familiar with this now?"

"Last week there was an incident," Cordelia said. "I gather that one of the kids, about five years old, thought the crystal was a magical wand and was attempting to channel magic thru it."

Dawn snickered. "Eric didn't know any better."

Cordy frowns. "It wasn't Eric."

"It wasn't? That little twerp! He let me tease him and just smiled all the while. I'm going to tickle him until he pees his pants."

Cordelia shakes her head. "Oh no, you don't! You got pranked fair and square."

"I suppose…" she looked Cordelia up and down leeringly, "I know who put him up to it too."

"Anyway" Cordelia said to the newly formed OWI, "it was one of the friends little Eric made. Evidently they looked up the wand movements for the Alohomora and his friend was trying to cast it."

Gibbs smiled at the byplay. "So what was the problem?"

Cordelia blandly tells him, "The problem was it was working."

"They didn't tell me that!"

Cordy was having fun retelling this story, "They sent the kids home for the day to secure all the crystal that may have any affects that were not previous known or observed."

Being new to the EDC the trio just listened intensely to the somewhat humorous anecdote.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Janet smiled. Donald may not have been up to date on the latest advances SGC hadn't published but that didn't indicate that he was by any means slow. The newest treatment of Dargol Serum and Prolong had made him look about five and half years younger than before but it wasn't that noticeable and she thought the man was quite handsome before taking it. The only reason he took it was because it set the right age for the latest Prolong treatment.

Turning to Dawn Janet smiles, "I'm pleased you made it, Dawn." That was when she noted that Dawn had two people with her that were obviously doctors.

"This is Doctor Stephen Franklin, and Doctor Everett Jacobs. They're collaborating on trying to fix a virus that's killing off the Markab race."

Janet winced, that sounded all too close to home. "Let's see what we can do."

Franklin shared, "I brought a sealed sample of the virus. We know the Drafa was engendered by some isolationist within their own race. They had the idea that if they couldn't have their way, they'd just kill off their own species."

"We'll look at it with our equipment. What have you determined so far?"

The process was not short by any means. Dawn had found that they could use nanotech to heal the symptoms but the virus was too elusive to actually be affected. The cure came from actually creating a virus that was related to the current virus, and then when the new virus took hold, they could easily cure it with antigen nanobots they'd made up. Ironically it was one of the techniques Janet had learned from Ke'ra after the poor woman had her memories restored.

What really made Janet's thoughts confused were the ways the two visiting doctors were so familiar around the lab with the modern tech but still uneasy with advanced tech. The way they were at the same time familiar with dealing in Exobiology? It was almost eerie. With the cure fast tracked using the medical bay including the Nanobots injections, they were done in about sixteen hours.

Franklin was tired as he smiled on his way from the MedLab in Babylon 5 to his quarters. The virtual agent and nanobots would save the race, even if the Markab only had a few thousand people left. He had learned quite a bit and had brought with him a few things the Prometheus had fabricated. It sure was faster than the replicators. Then again it wasn't producing them out of energy. No it was produced from the raw materials. He could understand that.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

From Grayson, the Protector sent an invitation to _The Joyce_ to Xander for his wives. It was for a baby shower, to celebrate the birth of Jeanette and Rachel Mayhew, the children of the Protector.

The birth of these two children made Dawn realize the need the general populations on Grayson had for modern medical care. The Mayhew family was already familiar with the prolong treatment, having schooled off Grayson but the rest of Grayson was only peripherally aware of the medical advancement. Without a modern medical center which included Prolong and ReGen Treatment, on Grayson she would see about possibly providing the wives with some medical care to help them get back on their feat as well as ensue their daughters received the latest generation of Prolong.

She would have to talk to them about it first and then make sure their doctors were aware of the modern medical practices, but she couldn't see how they wouldn't be, not with the Protector aware of the advanced.


	11. Chapter 11

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Chapter 11: Immortal Bliss

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The baby shower for the Protector's child was scheduled for a November 28th (Grayson's time). It was a Friday there to accommodate the end of a Grayson workweek, not that Xander had a major need for that.

Benjamin Mayhew waved a hand towards a chair as Xander entered his office. "Come in. Take a seat."

Xander glanced at the armsmen but only just. "I was just dropping off Dawn, Cordelia, and Willow."

'_**Captain Fox isn't here this time.'**_ Xander noted mentally but didn't probe for why.

"For the baby shower," Ben nods, "yes."

"I think there were a few at home that were a bit jealous over their invitation."

"Oh?" he was curious of those that lived on _The Joyce_, as anyone knowing of Xander at all was.

'_**It is quite obvious that they don't actually live there; which is more confusion than it was worth gaining answers.'**_

Xander grins, "Buffy, Dawn's elder sister. She's a bit too outspoken to be anywhere near anyone from Grayson, if you know what I mean."

Benjamin smiled giving Xander a nod of understanding. "I have met a few who tested my ability to hold my tongue. It wouldn't be proper to be rude to anyone much less a woman. I had to constantly remind myself that they were of a different culture."

"Oh it isn't just that." Xander nods, he understood, _**'That's not a cultural difference so much as annoying females.'**_ "She could fit in if she really wanted to; but she has a habit of trying to pull others' attention. She's a good girl, but I could just see her on the streets in her miniskirt and punching the first person to say a word about it."

Benjamin laughs with the thought _**'Xander is obviously exaggeration.'**_ "She wished to come and didn't feel right tagging along?"

Xander shrugs admitting, "Actually I don't think she really wanted to."

At the Benjamin's look Xander elaborates, "She's been a bit bored, but the air here… she has very sensitive senses. That includes the sense of smell and taste. The heavy metals in the air wouldn't hurt her but she'd be saturated in the smell for days afterwards. No she was teasing her sister about going out and that included a mocking pout."

Benjamin nods his understanding. "Katherine spoke to me about Dawn offering the use of _The Joyce__'s_ medical facilities when the newborns are birthed. Something about using Prolong right away?"

Xander shrugs as though it isn't a big deal. "It isn't something we could ever charge for. I'm not sure of the legality of it. We aren't qualified doctors, nor have we paid for the rights to use the process for a profit. If Dawn or one of your doctors is willing to administer it then I don't see a problem."

Benjamin nods. "I had assumed it was something along those lines. I've made sure our personal physicians were kept abreast of current theory at least when it comes to modern medical practices. None of them are specialists in those fields but they are familiar with it."

Xander nods. "Dawn mentioned that the ReGen therapy wasn't available here either. I think she wanted to bring the entirety of _The Joyce's _medical bay with her when she came today."

With a grin shared by Benjamin, "I have no objections. I know that Elaine will likely give birth prematurely. It was a common thing with both her mother and grandmother; so long as they are female, which both children will be."

"I'm surprised; I always thought that it was the smaller women who had a harder time carrying to term." Xander shook his head a bit. "I guess that's just a misconception."

Benjamin shrugged. "Ask me about the birthing regularities of Orchids and I could tell you, but I think with humans it is so widely varied it gives even doctors migraines, especially when something new happens."

Xander chuckled a bit. "Yea, so Dawn's been telling me. She's been studying to be a doctor you know, and when she is fully trained I think she'll either specialize in… what's that called? The birthing of children… I guess it would be gynecology, but she's more focused on the baby then the mother in that."

"OBGYN" Benjamin supplied. "I hear she had a daft hand from her stitching up a few men en route to Orbital Four. She might find her talent in other aspects of medical care."

Xander shook his head. "She's hooked on that or pediatrics for actual medical practice, but she might not actually do anything in any public venue. There are quite a few things she's involved with on the medical front."

With some interests he asks, "Really?"

Benjamin wasn't just making time to allow the women their independence during their day of celebration of childbirth; he was actually interested in what Xander knew of his youngest wife's plans for the future. Perhaps it, even in his own mind, was because she was a woman and he'd tried so hard to in some way modernize the women of Grayson a bit more without losing what made them Graysons.

Xander nods, "Yea, one of the recent things she's collaborating on is a treatment for the elderly. It's a restorative. Without going into specifics it rejuvenates living cells."

"Really," Benjamin was surprised, "is it like the mythical fountain of youth?"

"Well it isn't mythical and I wouldn't exactly call it a fountain." Xander said with good humor then ads, "I mean I wouldn't even think of continual use when there are other means of longevity. All it does is rejuvenate, or regress the maturity of the living cells. When it is used properly it would be useful to bring a person or animal to a specific age which in this case will allow for the Prolong treatment."

"You mean that some of those who are too elderly to make use of the Prolong treatments would be able to use this and then go thru Prolong?"

Xander nods, "Granted if they wanted to make the best use of it, they'd have to relive the last bit of the growth they went thru in their final stage of growing, but most old people are shorter then they were in their prime."

The Protector quips "Old feeling maybe!" With a shake of his head he adds, "Some of the foreigners I've met look in their late thirties and are in reality in their triple digits."

Xander nodded with a smile. "Exactly, we've not tested the effects it would have on those that used Prolong which is still affecting their system; I suppose we won't for some time now."

"Do you have any idea when you'll make the process, or the serum was it, available to the public?"

Xander winces at that nightmare of paperwork, "I'm not sure to tell the truth, I'd have to run it by Dawn. I know that there are those we work with who are using it already but that isn't on a world wide scale, yet."

'_**Months if not years, darn it.' **_thought Benjamin_**.**_

"I would hope" Xander added, "that we could keep it quiet for a while, but even then it would have to be used on a private basis instead of a wide scale. We don't want to run the risk of people having some kind of reaction to it that we only find out after several hundred if not thousand people were exposed. No we'll run it privately for those that actually need it rather than those that just want to be younger and then slowly work our way through…"

"Good idea" Benjamin nods. "It wouldn't do well to have it being held over someone's head like the Sword of Damascus."

Xander laughed, getting the reference and agreeing, "No, but then again we're using it on allies only, coincidentally depriving it from those who's influence we wish to have die out or change with their all too natural death."

Benjamin blinked in shock. "I never even thought of that."

Xander nodded. "I'm opposed to killing people because they have different beliefs or are just an ass but that doesn't mean I'm going to go out of my way to ensure they have a long and happy life either. I'm ruthless with those that I feel cross a line and I'm apathetic to the plight of those that I dislike. None of that means I'm unwilling to compromise those two aspects when dealing with circumstances."

Benjamin nods almost theatrically. "And of course for those that are allies you offer a helping hand, usually doing something that will benefit both of you."

Xander shrugs. "Benefit is a subjective term."

Benjamin laughs and nods. "My brother told me how you tried to do a straight out swap for your ore and he pushed to have things a bit more economical."

Xander winces. "Yea and we got the ore and loads of money. Not exactly a benefit when it comes to paperwork."

Even the armsmen were smiling at that.

"Yes he has shared that you dislike the general administration duties that go along with all the money your inventions have perpetuated."

"I guess you need to give credit where it's due and all, but just as well, I'd have been happy with a few months supply of ore."

Back to the point Ben pointed out, "And yet, though I consider us allies now, we were not at that time even associated with you."

"The ore is worth more money then I have in the bank now, I still feel like I'm ripping you off."

Benjamin waved it off. "I think that my brother would agree to renegotiate that part of it if and when the economic value of the ore is made known on a tradable market with more than just you and he. Until then it's not even an extra hour's cost to filter out a bit of unused waste."

Xander sighed and nodded. "Just make sure he agrees."

Benjamin smiles and before he could comment on having the advantage there with his brother the door opened.

The woman at the door was one Benjamin recalled the name of, Cordelia, though Xander had called her Cordy a few times.

"Cordy?" Xander inquires; the party couldn't be over that soon.

"Dawn contacted Giles, he's already on his way by now and Dawn wants to use that machine to take pictures of the babies for Katherine and Elaine to give out, and the fetal or prenatal shots from Beowulf should help elevate the mood swings. Really you should have just let her bring everything with her."

Xander face palmed and looked at the laughing Protector of Grayson.

"Yea-yea, I should have… I suppose. Well live and learn, perhaps the Mayhew doctors wouldn't mind looking over the facilities while Giles has _The Joyce_ here and that camera thing… it is portable isn't it?" He was suddenly worried.

Cordelia cocked her head to the side and Xander realized that he could have easily asked Dawn mentally but had forgotten in his sudden mental panic.

"No it isn't… is four hours" she glances at the armsmen, "going to be enough time for security?" That was how long it would take for Joyce to get to Grayson and dock.

"I think we'll make due" Benjamin spoke for his armsmen concerning the overprotective security sweeps that this particular armsmen enjoyed implementing. "The doctors are on call so I'll have them informed."

The armsmen winces with the hope that nothing will go awry on their quest for pictures of all things.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"Duncan" the voice sounded on the phone. "This is Fitz."

"Fitz, Hugh Fitzcairn?"

"Yea, listen mate, I'm calling because… I need some help."

Duncan frowns in thought. Fitz was a good man but sometimes the situations he got into because of a girl… he shivers and asks, "What do you need Fitz?"

He was hesitant, then "I was recently, as in minutes ago recently, framed for the murder of my girl, Naomi…" The tone of the man was so very sad at the mere mention of her name.

Duncan muttered, "Good lord! Do you know by whom?"

"No," Duncan could hear Fitz's head shake from the rustling of the phone. "I don't know yet. It's why I need the help. I've been able to connect the call she last received to Patrick, a man she met where she died, and I know they'll think I killed them both."

Duncan thought a moment. "Are you near my barge?"

Fitz laughed, though it was forced. "You weren't there, which is why I'm calling this number."

Duncan smiles, "I'll be there in about twenty seconds."

Fitz, ever the conversationalist manages out, "Huh?"

"Just be there; trust me?"

Grumbling a bit Fitz manages out, "Fine Macleod!"

Mac wondered briefly how long ago she'd died. _**'Xander, do you mind if I bring an immortal to the Manor?'**_

'_**Not at all, so long as you trust him… or her.'**_ The trust part was just an added qualifier as Xander knew Duncan wouldn't bring someone he didn't trust.

'_**I do, but he's got some baggage… he was accused of two murders, I think it's only been half an hour at most.'**_

'_**You're thinking of the sarcophagus?'**_

'_**Hoping is more like it. One was his girlfriend, and it sounds like he was set up by someone that knew, so either Rogue Watchers or another hunter.'**_

'_**Go ahead; we can always obliviate the victims if they aren't trustworthy.'**_

Duncan used the Iris that he'd put the other side of the pair on the barge. He always carried one to LeVelle Manor on him but the barge and Amanda's apartment was a two way thing.

It wasn't even five minutes later Fitz showed up. "Duncan?" he was awed.

"Yep, now we need to first of all collect the bodies of those victims."

Fitz paled at hearing those words then asks with a squeamish gulp, "Bodies?"

"How long have they been dead?"

"They had to have been killed moments before I got there; I felt a quickening as I approached. They were warm." Despite his age and experience his lip was quivering.

"Do you think they'll still be there?"

Fitz gives Duncan a nod, trusting him. "It's over at The Cordon Bleu Culinary School on Fifth Ave. I ran from there to the barge twenty minutes ago, maybe twenty five minutes tops."

Mac sighs with relief giving Fitz a smile, "Good, let me get a friend first."

He pulled out a card with Xander on it, he closed his eyes and mentally sent his message; he couldn't quite send it on the fly, yet. _**'Xander could you meet me at Grimmauld Place, time is of the essence.'**_

'_**I'm on my way.'**_

Fitz was going to ask him what the card was and why he was closing his eyes when Duncan opened them and gestured towards where he was heading with a follow me motion, "Come on thru Fitz."

Fitz had wide eyes as Duncan stepped thru the Iris on the side of the wall.

The Barge was being watched, Antonius Kalas.

"Mac what the hell is going on?"

"Your world is about to change but first we have business to do." He pulled the Iris on the shelf open and again stepped thru.

Fitz followed him into the new house and was utterly confused and it grew when a warm tone called out, "Xander!"

"I'm here, now what was the big hurry?"

Duncan half turned to his confuse friend, "Fitz, could you focus of the location where the bodies were at?"

Xander announces, "Got it!" before vanishing in a plume of fire.

Fitz didn't faint, though he was close, instead he landed on has ass with a thump.

A moment later two bodies and Xander flamed in. "I wiped the cops and witnesses minds of the recent event. There will still be a record of it but only from what they reported already concerning the scene. If the 'dead' are suddenly back and alive the next day and they have no memory of reporting it they'll think it was some kind of sick prank."

Fitz had a hopeful tone, "Back?"

Xander shrugged unwilling to make the promise but touched by the depth of the emotion broadcast by the immortal that was obviously old enough to be difficult to read aside from the grief. "We can but try."

In the manor it was the body of Naomi who was placed in the strange Egyptian looking device first. Fitz might have paid more attention to the device if he wasn't so emotional. He could barely see as the lid opened because of the tears flooding his eyes.

Fitz was startled out of his hopeful thoughts by the female's arms wrapping around his neck, the very alive female's arms.

Mac smiled at the scene. _**'This isn't something you see every day, not to this extent.'**_

The body of Patrick was next, when he woke it gave Xander a good feel of his mind and he sent the mental command to the mind to go into a deep sleep.

From Duncan's look he shrugged and shared, "He was an accomplice to her murder, you do realize?"

Mac shook his head. "I only figured that him being alive would prevent them from thinking Fitz murdered him."

Naomi was quick on the uptake, "Who was it, and how am I alive, is this why you needed false credentials?"

Fitz shifted slightly not really wanting to spill the beans.

Duncan sensed the hesitation and understood why. He looked at his old friend and spoke firmly as if too a child, "Fitz, you need to tell her!"

Almost petulantly Fitz sighs, "Fine. I'm immortal unless my head is cut off."

Naomi widens her eyes. "How old are you?"

"I was found an infant, newly born in 1190."

"Found… infant…" she mumbled before her face lit up with an amused grin and acceptance, "You really did rob the cradle. I can see now why you're so skilled in bed."

Mac groaned at the humor.

Xander chuckled before speaking up, "Sorry to ruin the moment but you really need to deal with the man named Antonius Kalas."

Duncan stiffened.

Xander nodded to his immortal friend. "I'll tattoo Fitz here. My bet is that you're going to find him somewhere near your barge."

Fitz curiously asks, "Why is that?"

"When I read the location of the bodies it was in connection to where the barge was in Paris. I got quite a bit of information from you concerning the location including the feel of the quickening. He followed you. There had to be a reason he didn't just take you by surprise."

Fitz didn't know what to think. _**'This young man is something I've never seen before and has a power like nothing I ever even suspected to exist.'**_

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Duncan was pleased with the plan to confront Kalas. Xander had privately informed him that the sarcophagus should bring him back if he was to be beheaded but they didn't know for sure if that would work. The issue that pleased him, however, was that Xander was going to be his second; if he was beheaded then he'd step in and prevent the immoral killer from escaping.

This was the first time since taking the rune tattoo that Duncan was facing an enemy immortal. Xander had guessed right about the location Kalas was currently at, and Kalas didn't even notice his presence as he was standing less than fifty feet away.

"Kalas, I'm Duncan Macleod and I challenge you."

Kalas was so surprised he barely brought his sword out as he swayed out of the path of the blade.

His voice was raspy, "How?"

Duncan didn't talk, he just moved. The man had already lost having only been prepared for Hugh Fitzcairn. He'd planned on taking the head of the highlander's friend near the river so he could dive in to avoid losing his head to the man.

Duncan took his head and it was over for the sociopath immortal. The quickening started to rise but as Duncan braced himself to receive it he was shocked as he got only a single bolt of quickened lightning that he would have felt a stronger shock from sticking his finger in a light socket. He got nothing more.

He looked and the quickening seemed to flash into the night sky and fade away. Usually after a quickening the mind and body have to catch up with new skills, a few memories, and to fight off the darkness that usually is there for the heads Mac was willing to take.

A moment later Xander showed up in a pillar of fire and burned the corpse to ash in seconds. "You did well, and we now know the runes work."

"Aye, Fitz will be pleased."

"He might not be pleased with everything. Naomi says the police know his information is falsified. They'd already reported it to whatever dispatch is here on what they found on her computer screen. Prank or not they'll look now. Naomi hadn't pulled it up. It was all part of the plot to frame Fitz."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander was correct about the police wanting to question Fitz on his false identity. Fitz approached Xander at LeVelle Manor two days later to make sure the offer was still there.

Fitz asks Xander, "Do you mind if I take up that offer to say here for a while, maybe stay in Grimmauld Place in London? Most of the places I would go are out of the question because I hadn't had the time to prepare as I usually would."

"It isn't a problem, Fitz. You might want to spend some time in America… the one Ritchey Ryan is currently living in." He smirked a bit. "He's Duncan's student. Do you think Naomi is going to join you soon?"

Fitz perks up at mention of her name, "Oh yes. She promised to join me in a few weeks but she wants to make sure the murder charge is completely repealed in case I ever come back. She said something about insuring Patrick was arrested for her attempted murder. She was quite vicious about that."

Xander could feel the pride he had at that last remark and added a thought to the issue of Patrick, "And if she vanishes without a trace only days before he's arrested for the attempt it will look like he's trying to clean up the loose ends."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Duncan returned to the baby-proofed apartment in England. He wanted to sit down with Amanda and talk about what he'd been avoiding subconsciously.

Amanda had Alexander, his son, in her arms and Duncan couldn't help but smile in awe of having a son, his blood, his kin, something that he'd never had even with Clan McLeod, they weren't his blood kin.

"I think, after Fitz's trouble with Kalas that I'd like to see if Joe can find a few others that just want to live and let live, good kind people."

"Well" Amanda nods. "I know of quite a few. I'm sure that Joe wouldn't mind giving them a call and relaying our current phone number."

Duncan nods. "Maybe it's time to make a list."

It took half the night of throwing names around for the list to get sorted properly. The list was vast but several names were crossed off, either they weren't willing to give up the game or something was preventing Duncan from thinking they were ready to move on.

Cassandra, Sean Burns, Ceirdwyn, Katherine, Carl Robinson, Connor Macleod, Michelle Webster, Coltec, Corey Rains, Lucy Becker (mortal), Charlie DeSalvo (mortal), Adam Pierson (Methos), Gina, and Robert de Valicourt were on the list as sure things.

Going over the list of immortals they found it very ironic that one of the immortals named Katherine was identical in most ways to Susan Ivanova, granted she was a half an inch shorter, there were a few scars Susan had that Katherine didn't, the finger prints were different as was their DNA and retina scans but the appearance similarity was uncannily eerie.

This curiosity would spark an introduction between the two, considering the fact that there was still no explanation on how Immortals originally came to be. Dr Franklin was one of the doctors evaluating their DNA and when he inquired to Susan's impression of Katherine and her husband Nick, Susan would admit that she didn't find Nick at all sexually appealing. Considering how close their DNA was this was quite surprising for all the doctors.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Hammond nods to the screen showing the Secretary of Defense Miles Hutchinson. "Yes sir. I understand. I will convey the importance of his acceptance and the equality of inner military discipline."

'_**Video conferencing with the Secretary of Defense isn't on my pro side of my pros and cons check list for this job.'**_

The man on the conference vid-screen could easily pass as a businessman by the passer by on the street. "George, AJ is, was, a SeAL. When your Sam Carter pulled his name for possible recruits for the EDC it got several of my advisers thinking. The Air Force has taken the brunt end of any conflict out there that we've run into. It isn't quite fair to say it wasn't the best or that it was. They did a good job but the more strategy that goes into running space fairing battles the more I'm listening to the SecNav's advice. You've taken in some sailors and I think AJ would be a shoe-in for what we need. He's had experience commanding battleships and did a short stint on a sub. Quite frankly commanding a space ship is about the same thing in many aspects as that latter. We do want him for now for his legal know-how, but once he gets his section of the EDC in order and we're been able to build or obtain another vessel for EDC, I think he'd be a good choice for commanding officer of that boat."

Hammond nodded. "I understand sir. Admiral Chegwidden has quite a bit of potential for combat if needed. I could also see him more easily in command of a boat than Jack."

The man smiled, General O'Neill was still awaiting a promotion celebration but he'd already pinned the star.

"Just be sure to tell him to limit the number of JAG officers he brings to under a dozen. The SecNav is already fit to be tied that we're allowing him to hand pick his people."

George smiled slightly, though not losing his baring and nods. "Aye sir; Major Carter has already run the background on the names she thinks would be best suited."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

While George was groundside speaking with AJ Chegwidden, SG1 was ready to deploy on their first off world mission with Samantha Carter in charge of the full team. Frank Parker had been a good choice. His name hadn't won her any points from the brass but Jack's word on personnel had been just about law and Jack had liked what he'd read about Frank Parker, well mostly.

Teal'c had almost instantly associated the crazy warrior with Jack's mentality; this had helped facilitate Frank's position in the team. Daniel admitted that he'd felt uneasy around the loud former soldier but hadn't known why. Sam believed it was the same uneasy feeling he'd grown used to around Jack. Frank was a killer, wild and passionate if Olga Vukavitch was to be believed. Teal'c was colder about it, disciplined, even Jack was more disciplined though would likely have more emotion than Teal'c, but Frank was the type to scream bloody murder as he was doing it.

"Chevron seven… will not engage."

Sam spun her head to the man and blinked in shock then mutters, "That shouldn't have happened."

The possible relocation site for the Enkarans could have been destroyed, but she didn't think it was. She supposed the destination gate could have been buried and that would have been enough but they'd already been there once so that would be pretty quick work…

While she was contemplating what to do Frank asks perky as any SeAL could be, "What do we do we do now, boss?"

She growled at him and he smiled at her growl. If Frank wasn't already involved with Olga he might have thought that growl was quite sexy, but for now it was almost like a sister growling at brother for teasing her about her boyfriend.

Frank shook his head clearing the familial thought.

A technician stated, "I'm running a diagnostic on the address…"

Looking the man over Parker noted that the Tech was named Green by the name tag and had a Tech-Sgt insignia on his lapels.

They waited in silence for ten minutes or thereabouts before Sam spoke, "Is there anything you can tell us, Sgt Green?"

TSgt winces, "Not yet, ma'am. The address read fine but the gate is registering like it can't engage at all. Not just this address… Prometheus's original systems are registering a stargate on Earth."

Sam widened her eyes at the possible security threat to Earth. "We need to find out if this stargate on Earth is being used right now or if it's been in use covertly."

"I'm already on it Ma'am. I sent the Gravimetrics log to one of the labs as soon as it didn't connect. I'm hoping they have someone who can interpret the data correctly. If I'm reading what I know of this correctly the gate is active right now, as it simply isn't shutting off. I just received word from one of the people in the labs, Vukavitch, I'm not sure I can pronounce that name ma'am!"

Parker spoke up, "That's Olga, what's she say?"

The Sgt shook his head. "She says the logs confirm several uses of the gate from one location, it's in Siberia."

Frank mutters, "Bet she's not happy about that."

Sam smiles a bit. "What else does she say?"

"That the rate of increase on the gravity of the gate is slightly similar to when it connected to a black hole but only slightly; she believes the gate is stuck on the on position and gaining a surplus of energy from the other side."

Sam was impressed; she doubted that she could have figured it out that quickly.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

General O'Neill disliked that the first time he had to use his rank was to confront the Russians concerning where they picked up a stargate from. He was sure they got it from the NID; it wasn't as though the NID was a major concern anymore for the EDC but they seemed to still be able to throw a few wrenches in now and then.

"Did you find out what it was sir?" Sam asked Jack.

Jack winced. "Evidently their gate, the one they've been using covertly since the NID sold it to them, is stuck in the on setting."

Sam almost rolled her eyes before asking him, "Anything new?"

He smirked at her; _**'That insubordination streak is coming along quite fine!'**_

"President Sergei Mikhailov was very helpful; it seems that we have a fan."

Samantha lifted an eyebrow. "Fan sir?"

"One Dr. Svetlana Markova, or was it Markov?" he scratched his chin in thought. "I think it was Markov, anyway she was very interested in obtaining the help of SGC and finally convinced Sergei" he smiled at saying the first name of the President even if it was for Russia, "to try and contact us. It was really the only reason I was able to speak with him directly, he'd been trying to contact us for over an hour."

"Really what… they want our help to shut the gate down?"

"That and more, how do you feel about a trip to Siberia? The only other option is Sergei plans to nuke the sight."

Sam blanched but nodded, any plan was better than using nuclear weapons against something that could possibly enhance the explosion enough to crack the planet and quite frankly she wasn't sure the gate wouldn't do that.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Sam addresses her team, "We're going to Siberia."

Frank smiled slightly; it was almost like home, to have things suddenly change on him then it him that they might not be taking the same things so he asks her, "What do we bring?"

"We're going to meet a friend of Olga's who is in charge of the Russian Federation Stargate Program. I gather they've been operating it for just over a month and a half and ran into something that we've never encountered and until it is shut off we won't be going anywhere thru the stargate."

"Ouch" Frank said. "Are we taking a few of those hole-tire things?"

Sam smirked and nodded. "One just in case, but we won't be using it unless it is an emergency."

Frank nodded.

They suited up and took two of the two man crafts from the Prometheus directly into Siberia. They had just installed a cloaking device in two dozen of the death gliders to allow them to be used as recon without being seen even by the Prometheus's scanners. It wasn't a true invisibility cloak but it was better then the best stealth plane on Earth currently.

"So when do I get to fly this baby?" Frank rubbed his hands over the death glider.

Sam smirks at him and shakes her head firmly, "Not today."

Frank wanted to argue, she could see it in his eyes but he had already learned to respect her and wasn't going to. He'd pout the entire way instead. After they got into the death glider Sam did the radio check with Teal'c and Daniel.

Samantha tells the grieving Parker, "You can fly one after you've trained to fly one and have put in at last twenty five hours of space time where you won't be spotted crashing into the side of a mountain."

Frank winced and still pouted half the flight which wasn't exactly that long of a wait. Frank made a silent vow to learn the systems ASAP and then see about scheduling time to fly with the geeks.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

They were met on site at Kuybyshev Airbase by Dr. Markov. "Sorry I am late."

"Dr. Markov, it's an honor. I've read your work."

"I've read yours as well Major Carter. Wish we had met under different…" she shrugged.

Frank waved. "Frank Parker!"

"I was not aware of a Frank Parker with SG1, Daniel and Teal'c, what of Jack O'Neill?" She was concerned

"Hi, I'm Daniel."

Teal'c gave her a half bow.

"He's General O'Neill now." Frank half smirked, "Do you know an Olga Vukavitch?"

She startled at the name and Frank smirked, "I'm her Frank."

"I had no idea she was still alive."

Sam almost groaned. "And the NID still doesn't so could you not share that information with anyone." She half glared at Frank but he only looked mildly sheepish.

"Of course, I warned Olga about working under those…" she growled a word in Russian that had Sam blinked in surprise, but Dr. Markov sighed. "We have a ways to go."

"We can take the gliders" Samantha stated then qualifies that, "If you don't mind being cramped."

Frank shrugged, there was plenty of room.

Markov looked stunned but then smiled slightly. "That would save time. I will tell you what I am able to on the way."

Samantha Carter nods, the thought of Dr Markov sitting on Olga's boyfriend's lap might loosen her tongue just a bit.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The trip to the base from Kuybyshev Airbase was much shorter then it would have been if they'd been on a military transport.

"When the NID sold the gate to us it was debated on if we could simply use the ownership of the gate to force America's hands on sharing technology and several people thought even after we activated the gate that it should be done that way."

Daniel's voice sounds over the radio with clarity, "How did you activate the gate and ensure that your people go to your gate instead of to ours?"

"That was the easy part, we have a dialing device."

Samantha blinked in shock before confirming, "You have a DHD?"

"We retrieved the one that was unburied in Egypt from the Nazis during the Second World War."

"How did that ensure you were able to retrieve your personal?"

"We set a schedule and so long as the dialing device was connected our gate read as the sole gate for Earth's coordinates. We simply unconnected it when we were not actively using it."

Frank asks with humor, "Sort of like plugging in a phone to make a call and unplugging it to let someone else on the party line handled the telemarketers?" It reminded him of the old movie Pillow Talk which he'd watched with Olga.

Sam couldn't help but smile as Dr. Markov almost giggled. She was in command, she wasn't allowed to lose her composure so she didn't giggle, but Sam thought Svetlana found Frank as humorous as Sam found Jack. Sam was sure she could use that ease and amusement to pull Dr. Markov up to the EDC to work for them because there was no way she wanted to have the gate on Earth continually in use.

As they land on the airstrip for the base the seriousness of the situation kicks in. "We have had no contact with the forty seven people on this base for nine hours. We believe it was compromised as our remote intelligence reads that General Sakalov gassed his own men. They are believed to be dead by now."

"This is Carter; I'm requesting authorization to use a Transportation Iris to the medical bay. We have several bodies that we need to find out how they died and how recent it was."

"Right away, Major Carter; you have authorization. The quarantine is in effect for that area."

Dr Markov lifted an eyebrow when Samantha pulled the portable hole open and put it against the wall before Frank and Teal'c take the body thru and come back. She didn't ask but would make a very keen note of it.

Sam thought, _**'I hope that some of them can be revived, it's worth a shot, anything is better then seeing your people dead where they work.'**_

Of the forty people they sent thru the portable hole, five would be revived. It would be enough to influence the people in charge of program into supporting the idea of a shared defense of Earth.

There were some surprises for the group to find in Siberia, such as an American and what he was actually there for. The group set to work attempting to find out exactly what happened, and they were on a time limit.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4


	12. Chapter 12

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summary: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the Manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Beta by cj_cold

Chapter 12: Mayborne, Russia, and Time-travel

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

General O'Neill looked at the Doyles. "Are you sure Xander doesn't mind and are you sure he'll be able to tell that Maybourne is actually still Maybourne, not some alien symbiote?"

Allen smiled a bit. General O'Neill was still uneasy with the idea of relying on Xander's talents that was for sure.

Harriet nods. "It isn't like he isn't going to find out secrets that the NID want kept. I mean sure he'll share them and all but if you trust him enough to go fishing for them in the first place…"

Allen Francis shook his head at his wife's blundering in so tactfully. "You also need to tell him what went on in Russia so he isn't too surprised."

Jack smiled just a bit. The thought of surprising the man who read minds was tempting and humorous. Of course Jack was reluctant to even think on what the man's limits were mentally. Those who he'd helped previously had said they felt him in their minds, but Jack was sure that was because he was doing something there.

"I really only just want to know if he's telling the truth and that he doesn't have any passengers tagging along, everything else is gravy."

Harriet smirked. Maybourne's interrogation had so far been extremely frustrating, the fact that they found Maybourne there in the first place and that wasn't enough to nail his ass to the wall was only adding to it. The NID's decision to sell the gate to Russia may or may not have been legitimate. Any legitimacy was tenuous at best but on the heads of those that sold the gate. Maybourne wasn't part of that deal; he'd claimed to be there to ensure Russia didn't write a check Earth couldn't cash. He'd shared no new information concerning the SGC or other US operations that were classified, though he did admit that it may have been because they'd already had more detailed files than he'd been aware of.

Jack was reluctant to believe he was being wholly honest with them.

Maybourne's response to this was, "I would suggest you not trust me. Despite believing I'm of my own mind you can't be sure it isn't just an illusion."

Maybourne hadn't complained once and felt that even this was part of his sworn duty to protect the USA. He had felt the NID had become one of those domestic threats when they basically gave the gate to Russia, knowing how much SGC had struggled, with the only reason being a hope and a prayer that they might have more influence in the Russian Gate Command's activities than they did in the SGC's activities, which wasn't going to happen.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander came thru the Iris and smiled, it was good to feel needed. He'd heard some of what went on in Russia and would be happy to learn more. He was also curious about this Colonel Maybourne. There was some obvious hostility there and he couldn't help but think that some of it was earned but some was just a difference of perception. He could almost understand Maybourne's issues with the idea of having a Jaffa with a security risk in his gut wandering around in public on Earth.

"Xander, good to see you, welcome back."

Xander nods and shakes Jack's hand. "Thank you General. How has the life of a General been treating you?"

Jack winced and offered his opinion, "There is more paperwork in being the _General In Charge_ than there is actually leading anything."

Xander nods with a smirk. "I bet you, I end up doing more paperwork than you do."

General O'Neill blinked and looked him up and down, wondering just what it was that Xander was normally doing day in and day out. "Oh not every day, I'll grant you, but with our finance manager, Willard Neufsteiler, on Manticore being aware of the Manor and our business manager in San Vale having hands on association with the other businesses in other realms, Allen's cousin Frank Doyle is the business manager. He has the amount of paperwork I do but does it day in and day out… constantly! I think he enjoy the stuff."

Jack had a look that bordered on disbelieve and Xander nods. "He set mine up so I can get away with the base minimum. I still have to read everything I sign and I have to understand it. I can deal with people much easier than paper; especially when it's almost the same paperwork every two weeks."

"I hear you; unfortunately if everything runs smoothly for the SGC that is what I end up doing. It's almost enough to hope that every week is interesting but then that actually leads to more paperwork."

Xander chuckled. "Speaking of interesting, I've heard a bit about Siberia and a few new additions to the SGC or EDC…" he scratched his head, "EDC is for the entire ship and SGC is just dealing with the Gate right?"

Jack nods.

Xander scrunched up his nose in thought of separating the businesses from the travel to other realms and said, "I would think you have a hard time differentiating the two."

"With anyone else we would, but General Hammond was the one to introduce the change and even if it got me my star a bit earlier than it would have come, I doubt that anyone else couldn't have done it without stepping on his toes. We've worked together long enough to instinctively know the other's limits."

Xander nods. "Allen didn't mention who I was going to be interviewing, and what was needed only that the subject has reason to lie and a history with the SGC which was aversive to trust and likely to have any truths treated with bias."

Jack winced and nodded. "He tried to have Teal'c taken after he'd been on my team for a while. The man was willing to give up his life to save my team before he was even on it and I'd be damned before I let anyone just dissect him or turn him into a lab rat."

He nods. "I hear ya; remember Egeria is part of my family, extended as it may be."

Jack looked consternated at forgetting that. "I sometimes forget about that. Then again Jr. wasn't exactly like Egeria either so it wasn't that Teal'c wasn't a security risk, we just needed to take precautions."

Xander shrugs. "There has to be some trust given or allies are untrusting of your motives."

Just then Daniel and Sam approached. Teal'c wasn't there, Xander could tell that Sam had wanted him there but respected his choice to remain behind. The unvoiced reason being that he didn't trust himself with regard to Maybourne.

Jack smiled. "We were just talking about you. Why don't we take this conversation to a briefing room?"

It wasn't a far walk and Xander made a mental note that Maybourne was two doors down.

"I hear you two had fun in Siberia. Is it really as cold as they say there?"

Sam blinked and Daniel smiled. "Cold yes and yes we went to Siberia. I'm not sure I would call it fun." His smile dimmed a bit as he thought of the men that lost their lives.

"Hey you saved some lives right? I mean if you didn't go, then more people would be dead and the gate would be destroyed, right?"

Daniel gave him a weak smile. Sam lifted an eyebrow. It always amazed her how the young man could pick up on such subtle things, thoughts she realized but she knew it wasn't invasive unless it had to be.

Sam began her debrief, "We did go to Siberia; where we met with Dr. Svetlana Markov and went to the base that housed the Stargate which was still active. There we found numerous bodies that we sent thru the Portable Hole to quarantine. I think five were able to be revived?" she glanced at Jack who nodded in confirmation.

"After that Frank, Dr. Markov, and Teal'c secured the base while Daniel and I went into a mini-sub and traveled thru the gate. The other side was under water."

"Just so you know most space capable crafts are also submersible. Rose really enjoys swimming and I wasn't sure it was safe or not so researched quite a bit about the different mediums in the other realms. Pressure and vacuum aren't interchangeable because a sub would be ripped apart but the reverse won't harm most space fairing ships."

Sam blinked and nodded that was good information to know.

"Who or what is Rose?" Daniel asks.

Xander grins that of a proud father. "Rose is a semi sentient baby space ship. She's about this big right now." He held out his arms to show a meter. "She's growing fast but won't be large enough to house anyone for at least a year or so. When she gets about the size of two semi trucks tall and several car lengths long while laying down she'll be full grown, then she'll start to sprout a flower like openings for wings which are used for fine control."

Sam blinks in shock. "Where did you get that from?"

He smiled. "Her mother gave her to me; I gather it isn't common and she used some of my DNA so I suppose I could say she's my child as well but I'm not sure how much human DNA went into her aside from letting her know I'm her bonded."

Jack smirks. "Back to the report, though I'm sure Sam and Daniel would like an introduction later."

Xander nodded his agreement, pride on his features. Rose was currently at Hogwarts for their summer break, she was enjoying the lake, and it would be a good place to take the two.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Flashback

"The reason the Gate is stuck open is the other side has a radio transmitter with a strong enough signal to keep it open. Something is boosting the signal. This is where the similarities to when we were connected to a black hole end. It should be simple enough to stop the signal and allow the gate to close before we dial up and return."

Dr. Markov spoke up showing her intimate knowledge of the team. "Yes I believe this idea will work; Daniel while you are there you may want to take a closer look at the ruins we photographed on the other side. I doubt we are going to revisit this world."

Daniel looked excited at the mention of the ruins and Sam rolled her eyes and pulled his attention towards the submarine with good humor. Dr. Markov mentally debated going but had finally decided that she would join Teal'c and Frank. Daniel knew enough about Russian to follow instructions if need be and Svetlana hadn't been a submariner herself so was as likely as Samantha to operate it effectively. There were things on the base that were top secret and more to the point she felt she could help Frank and Teal'c more effectively. Sam was half sure that she'd stayed because of Frank and a desire to learn more about how Olga was doing.

Looking over the mini-sub controls Daniel proved he was quite tech savvy even if he wasn't a science tech. "The Sub could hold enough air for three for a full day. The drone could last ten years, Sam why don't we have MALPs that last ten years?"

Sam looked at Daniel like he was crazy, then she turned to share, "The cost most likely. I'll talk to Jack. Maybe having a long term relay near the gates we've been to would be a good idea."

"Only if it we can turn it off and on remotely and have it work; Dr. Markov didn't seem to be able to do that."

Sam nods. "I think that she was quite flustered and worried that they may just decide to nuke the area."

They enter the gate; "Wow" was her first reaction.

Daniel couldn't hear her at first. The rapid pressurization causes his ears to pop. Sam takes note, "There is no plant life in the area or animal life that we can see."

"Dr. Markov, there are five bodies here we are taking them on board now."

"We put a dozen and a half thru the… thing you left here."

"Um Dr. Markov" Sam said over the radio, "Is there a reason why we would have such a high drag?"

"Not that I'm aware of, but Teal'c and Frank and I have been discussing the water and the fact is that we did not have much time to test the properties of it. There may be a great deal of unknown facts concerning the water but nothing I can think of that would relate to drag."

"Well I'm shutting it down for a moment before I burn the motor out."

"Um Sam, is that gauge supposed be to doing that?"

"No" she pales. "Dr. Markov, the pressure here is increasing at an exponential rate. You may want to find out what you can there."

The ship starts to groan.

Sam turns the motor on but the ship doesn't move more than an inch. Turning to Daniel she tries to be positive, "At least we won't have to worry about running out of air."

"Oh yes, implosion is a wonderful way to die Sam. Think, come on you are good at this."

"Well the liquid isn't water, if it was it wouldn't be doing what it is doing now."

"What if it was mimicking water or… What if the water was somehow alive or aware? I mean they took samples of it while here the first time. Their presence was ignored and the water mimic may not have realized they were going to take the samples away from the whole."

"Dr. Markov, when you collected the sample of water did you face any resistance trying to leave?"

She answers, "Yes, and it seems that the water is filled with microscopic intelligence."

Daniel spoke insistently, "We need to find them and get them back here; we don't believe they will let us leave until their… people are returned."

Frank was willing but the idea of loosing a team member wasn't a go. "That's the issue. It is inside Teal'c. And Teal'c just made a runner."

There was a crack in the sub and Daniel sighed. The pressure breaks the glass and Daniel and Sam stare at the water not entering.

Daniel puts his hand into the water and cocks his head to the side.

"Daniel what are you doing?"

"I think they just want to understand."

"What?"

"Us, they want to understand us."

Then the water pulls him into it as well as Samantha.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

In the briefing room Xander was enjoying reliving the experience. When they talked about the events he felt almost as though he was there, seeing thru their eyes. It was quite fun and he couldn't help but ask, "So it just pulled you into the water?"

Before Daniel could answer in the affirmative, two new arrivals enter; Frank Parker and Teal'c, though the former looked to be half dragging the latter into the room.

Sam smiles at them. _**'Evidently Frank talked him into coming. I most assuredly made a good choice for an additional team member.'**_

"I figured you might need to know things from our perspective too, and Teal'c was the one that spotted Mayborne in the freezer frozen stiff."

Teal'c nods. "Indeed. Harry Mayborne was in suspended animation, frozen stiff without the aid of cryogenics; if not for the alien water entity he would have been dead."

Xander thought that outcome would have suited Teal'c just fine.

Flashback

Dr. Markov explains her worried attitude, "The seventh address we dialed led to that submerged Stargate. A sample of the water was retrieved; it had some unique properties…"

At Franks confused look Dr Markov elucidates, "The water was spontaneously emitting a form of thermo energy which was a clean energy source. The water is now missing."

Frank wasn't a scientist but the sisters made sure he was well educated. "That shouldn't be possible; what else did you discover?"

Dr. Markov was pleased for a moment. _**'Olga would never be attracted to a trained oaf and it seemed Frank is proof of this.'**_ "I was called to Moscow before any other significant test could be done or verified."

Frank winces. He hated politics. Dr. Markov was smirking at the wince.

Teal'c verifies, "The Chappa'ai is now connected to this world and Samantha Carter and Daniel Jackson are there."

Dr Markov nods sharing a wince at the idea that she had skipped over pertinent information. "They shouldn't have dialed that address again; they had the next two planets on the sequences to look at."

"We need to get the bodies thru the portals quickly. We sent the six civilians and numerous soldiers thru but there are several unaccounted for."

The radio sounded suddenly and Daniel's voice carried thru, "Dr. Markov, there are five bodies here we are taking them on board now."

She winced and shared, "We put a dozen and a half thru the… thing you left here."

"Um Dr. Markov" Sam said over the radio, "Is there a reason why we would have such a high drag?"

"Not that I'm aware of; but Teal'c, Frank and I have been discussing the water and the fact is that we did not have much time to test the properties of it. There may be a great deal of unknown facts concerning the water, but nothing I can think of that would relate to drag."

"Well I'm shutting it down for a moment before I burn the motor out."

"What is that smell?" Frank asks and sniffs the air.

The trio follows the scent toward the kitchen and Dr. Markov shuts off the oven with a frown.

"I guess they burned their food," Frank snarks just a bit.

Teal'c checks the fridge as he is securing the area. "Frank Parker, Doctor Svetlana Markov, there is a body in the freezer you must see."

Frank perks up curious; the 'must see' was what drew that emotion and he couldn't help but clarify, "Body?"

"Who is it?" Frank asks.

"Harry Mayborne," Dr. Markov tells him and Frank lifts an eyebrow about to question who that was to illicit such a cold response, pun intended, from his teammate.

The radio chimes in, "Dr. Markov, the pressure here is increasing at an exponential rate you may want to find out what you can there."

Frank looks concerned. "Why would the pressure be increasing?"

Just then Maybrone's body emits steam from his mouth.

Teal'c steps back as though the body was possessed. "Do humans not die when frozen Frank Parker?"

Frank shrugs. "Usually, though I know that some have used cryogenics to be frozen in hopes to being thawed when there is a cure for whatever was wrong with them." He looked at the steam coming out of the man's mouth. "They unusually don't breathe while frozen however."

Maybourne moves his hand.

Franks asks, "His name is Maybourne?"

Teal'c nods.

Frank shouts as if talking to a deep hole, "Hey Maybourne!"

The eyes move, then he sits up. Frank moves back as does Teal'c. Maybourne starts to move to the kitchen and Frank stops Dr. Markov from getting too close.

Mayborne bends over and pukes.

The puke is water and instead of staying there, it pushes its way back into Maybourne. Frank lifts his gun ready to shoot the man.

Mayborne pukes again and this time roles away. "They are life forms. They are trying to get back to the Gate. There are numerous microscopic intelligent organisms in the water."

Frank asks the man that looks like he's dieing, "You're saying that the water thinks?"

"They gassed us all; the water organisms knew the only way to escape was inside me and in the freezer. So yes they think!"

Dr. Markov gasped and growled. That decision wasn't part of the standard protocol; if she found out which of the officers panicked she'd piss on their graves.

"How do you know, how did you say alive… and what the fuck?!"

Teal'c was infected as the sneaky water had been put into him and almost none of them saw it.

Sam's voice over the radio was heard, "Dr. Markov, when you collected the sample of water did you face any resistance trying to leave?"

"Yes, and it seams that the water is filled with microscopic intelligence."

"We need to find them and get them back here; we don't believe they will let us leave until their… people are returned."

"That's the issue. It is inside Teal'c." Teal'c had broken free during the communication. "And Teal'c just made a runner."

They followed and Teal'c locks them out of the Gate room.

Just before crossing the event horizon Teal'c stops and the water flows out of his mouth and nose thru the Gate.

The Gate instantly shuts off. A moment later it turns back on and Samantha, Daniel, and five bodies return thru the Gate.

Frank smiles at Sam. "Did you give them the sub ma'am?"

Sam glares at him a moment. "I think…" she was confused. "The last thing I remember was Daniel and me being pulled into the water."

Frank smirks. "So it was a hostage exchange. I feel like I'm graduating spy school or something."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander hums. "Do you know if their intelligence was only biological in nature or was it also emotional?"

Sam blinks. "I really don't know."

Daniel looked pleased with the question. "I think Frank hit the nose on the head when he said it was hostage exchange. I think they were curious and satisfied their curiosity before they sent us back."

Sam winced at that and not remembering anything about the water aliens.

"Let's talk about this Maybourne; did Dr. Markov say anything more about him?"

"Not really. She did confirm that all the information they obtained was from other sources, she was vague about it but my guess is that the NID thought giving them all the SGC information they had was a way to endear them to working with them."

Xander nods with a smirk. "That sounds like a shady unethical practice that they were willing to take advantage of without paying out."

Frank grinned and so did the others.

Xander asks the members of SGC in attendance, "You have a list of things we need to know?"

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Entering the brig, Xander, Jack, and SG1 tagalong, Xander approached. "I'm Xander; I'm going to be interviewing you. Unlike most interviews this one won't be verbally. I just thought you should know."

Harry Maybourne was taken aback.

Xander focused on his mind. "He's telling the truth about what he was doing there and also what he did while there. There seems to be an echo of tagalongs but without sufficient will to exert any influence. He may have a boost of intelligence from the exposure which will influence his decision making process but as far as I can tell they are only able to exert control or influence in great number. What's left hold no emotion but what was there previous, did. They may have left young ones in there but we'd never be able to actually say for sure. Then again they could be in any liquid around in a low quantity."

Jack asks, "Can you tell us anything about his assignment there?"

"He was there on his own initiative, having lost faith in the NID. He was also sick of the shady deals the NID seemed to be making lately and though some of them he felt were for the betterment of mankind, Earth, and the US; those were getting fewer and fewer as well as harder to rationalize. This was an out, a way to learn more about what was going on and keep tabs on a threat to the world and to the US. If they fucked up he had methods to bypass the corrupt chain of command to ensure swift and correct action that would exclude the NID. His past actions with NID were actually following the letter of the regulations, within the limitation of his mandates. He didn't really like doing it but at the same time he was also following the spirit of the oath he took as well."

Jack winced and nodded. He'd been in Black Ops he knew how some missions were fucked up to begin with. Frank did as well.

Xander went on, "He was actually helpful to Russia. I mean he pulled his weight there but never divulged secrets. He never revealed information; he only shared what he was sure they knew. He never confirmed information they only suspected. Since he took the oaths to enter Russian service as well, they amended those oaths to exclude anything that would violate his previous oaths to the US which only altered his scope of things to include Earth as a whole instead of only the United States."

Jack winced at that.

"He's very efficient when given more free rein and can use his intelligence. He isn't against getting his hands dirty or bloody if there is a need for it but the more often he is forced by orders or mandates to do so without cause, which he feels he's been both forced to and had cause in the past, the more likely he is to shoot them in the back the first chance he can do so within the limits of the mandates. I mean if Kinsey or Brian-Smith who are NID to the core, were in Teal'c's place he would have put a hole in their head before sending the body thru the Stargate. Perfectly legal to do so while following his mandates, it lacks any camaraderie."

Harry winced at that, he knew the man had read his mind and Xander smirked at him just a bit. "Something you should know however is that he recommended informing the SGC no less than forty two times in the three months he was there. He informed them that the SGC would no doubt include them in the project and it would be unifying force for Earth."

"Damn" Jack curses and Xander smirks.

They left the brig area. "Relax," Harry hears the strange man say as he leaves. "He has no idea on who it was that sold the information about SGC to the Russian chain of command though both he and the good doctor suspect it was someone of power within the NID."

Jack sighs. "Dr. Markov shared some of what you said. She said that it was Harry Maybourne's recommendations which influenced them into joining the EDC, that on top of the people we revived."

Xander nods with a slight smirk. "The man is an ass, don't get me wrong, but he's an American ass that's willing to protect Russia and the United States before the others around the world."

Jack growled before asking with a whine that Xander thought wouldn't be out of place on a wiener-dog animagus, "So we can't shoot him for treason?"

Xander shrugs. "If you want my recommendation, adopt him."

Jack blinked, "Pardon?"

"Keep him around to keep an eye on him. If he's under your command and under your mandate I think he could actually thrive. I doubt he'll be able to work with Teal'c on any permanent basis, but even Teal'c understands the need to have a black sheep. Teal'c's sense of honor is very similar to Maybourne's and they've both had to set aside their honor for their orders. Teal'c made the choice to never do that again when he joined the SGC, Mayborne never made that choice because he didn't feel he could. If he'd been put into a position that he could have done some greater good, as such was the case with Teal'c, he may have done it, but he would have either ensured he was killed in the scuffle or killed himself directly after. If he did do it he would've have planned it out and eliminated the senior Jaffa and Goa'uld before setting the prisoners free; or in human terms if his command was enslaving bums and foreigners as sex slaves he might kill the staff and commanding officer before seeing them free, but only if they were able to successfully escape. Where Teal'c excels in combat Maybourne excels in subterfuge and espionage."

Jack O'Neill, General of Operations for the SGC, winced in memory of the incident and nodded his understanding of the comparison.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Catherine Sakai steps thru the Iris to LeVelle Manor from _The Joyce_. She spotted a girl right away who came to greet her.

Dawnie asks her, "Catherine right?"

"Yes, you're Dawnie? You look so much like Dawn."

"Only younger?" she patted her hair with a very 'mature' air.

Catherine laughs. "Yes, I hope you guys don't mind my using the Irises."

"Not at all, what are you up to?"

She sighs, thinking of the child, _**'You are ever the inquisitive child.'**_

"I must speak with Michael and then use a… disposable spacecraft. There is an artifact I've been tasked to destroy, a Shadow artifact."

She only gave her this much because she knew anyone at the Manor was trustworthy. It still hadn't been talked about with Jeffery but then again the owner of the Manor was the only human she knew of that had killed a Shadow.

"Disposable, I wish you luck, you are taking one of the Irises right?"

"Yes I was also hoping to speak with Captain Sheridan; I wouldn't mind a little back up in case there was some opposition."

Catherine winces, thinking of the message; she would have back up but for the final task it was hers and hers alone. She wasn't sure she'd be able to return. The Iris was her best hope but then if it worked right she would save lives according to Jeffery's message. She could live with that even if she couldn't.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

It hadn't taken long for Garibaldi to come to his quarters. He didn't mind her coming and going but as she needed to speak to the captain anyway it was good to have companionship in the Security Chief.

"So you're heading to Babylon 4's last known space?"

She blinked in surprise and smiled. "Yes, Sector 14. How did you know?"

Michael shares a smile, "We just received the strangest message from that sector. Delenn got a message that now is the time they must go, and Jeff is here as well."

"Jeffery is here?" she sounded shocked and pleased with that. She had thought he was on Minbar at the moment.

Michael gives her a nod. "They're leaving on the Whitestar in less than half an hour."

"What was the strange message?"

"It was from Ivanova. It was… strange because we have some defenses against the Shadows that evidently weren't there. The Ivanova on the screen didn't have on the communication collar either; neither did the Michael Garibaldi of that time. Like I said it was strange. Delenn stated that it was caused from a temporal anomaly and the only way to preserve our timeline intact is to go where Babylon 4 is or is going to be or…" he looked confused.

"Sinclair added insult to injury when he said I couldn't join them. He said if I went I wouldn't be returning and because of previous exposure I would age prematurely regardless of the specialized equipment we have now."

Sakai sighs. "I don't believe he will be returning either Michael."

"What do you mean?"

"I was given a message that I needed to take out a device in Sector 14, I have the exact coordinates, description, and I was asked on the message that only I be within 5,000 kilometers of it when it is destroyed. I believe the message was old. It may be that this device is one that is altering the way we affect time, I'm not sure but it came from Jeff."

"This is getting confusing, am I the only one that feels like they're missing something?"

Catherine grins. "I know I do. I think the others do as well. It is almost as though all of us are only given enough information to ensure we do what we need to. Do you know of anyone that might lend a hand?"

"I know just the man to guard your back against he Shadows, Warren Keffer."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Catherine approaches. "Captain Sheridan, Jeffery?"

Jeff was worried. "What are you doing here?" he didn't demand but his concern over her presence was significant.

Confused she sighs. "I was given a mission in a message from you."

Jeff actually looked relieved. "We're dealing with time manipulation, assume that if the message came from me then you needed to do whatever it was and I'll send the message later."

That gave her a headache just thinking of the paradox. Jeff had long since become used to time travel concepts, he knew this was an advantage of traveling in time and was going to take it with both hands. He didn't know how or why she was here but he would observe what she did and know that she had to do it for the message he would eventually send.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Half way into the Sector 14 they detected the Shadow emitter. It was between Epsilon III and where B4 had been parked last. That was when they noted the tachyons surging. That was also when they went their separate ways; Catherine Sakai and Warren Keffer were together in their own Starfurys and the others on the Whitestar.

The temporal location would fluctuate for anyone that entered the area of a spherical influence 5 km out. As she destroyed the field generator destabilizing it Warren saw the ship vanish as Sakai was transported 900 years into the past.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander was on Babylon 5. Delenn had asked him to come and watch the message and he was quite perturbed at what he was hearing. Not only did the messages come from the distant past but then there was the last relayed communication from Catherine that had him worried. He was sure she was still alive, Jeffery wouldn't have sent her alone like that if she was going to die, but her message being cut off, the lack of anything associated with him or the Manor in the former past messages was… disturbing.

Deciding to share the misery Xander asks the chief, "What do you think Michael, do you think that we weren't here the last time?"

Michael blinked and cocked his head to the side. "But if you weren't here than…"

Michael growls. His head hurt trying to contemplate how they should be there if the future of those traveling to the past was already in the past. Paradoxes were all fine in stories and on black and white but putting a real life twist to it was one sure way to sour a mood.

"Now you know how I've felt the last hour looking over these messages. I made sure that they took some Irises but if Sakai is any indication it may not work. I'm glad that I put their Irises on _The Joyce_ though I can't fathom them working within the same dimension."

Michael blinked and tried not to think about it. His mind was already going over the possible security considerations of so easily traveling back in time.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4


	13. Chapter 13

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summary: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Chapter 13: Time Cooks

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Not long after Captain Catherine Sakai vanished before Keffer's eyes was Babylon 4 struggling with its own flow of time. The method used to keep the temporal event from simply vanishing inside the element of time and forever being lost was brought to them by a very strange alien named Zathras. It was very difficult for them to stay 'on course' without reliving their lifetimes, jumping from on point in their life to another within their own bodies, or experiencing moments of time out of sequence.

Zathras himself was a strange creature, literally one of a kind and the only way there were be more than one is if 'time allowed it', which it had done on occasion. Speaking with him was worse then a detective trying to unscramble a severely autistic witness's statement plus a mix in of awkward tenses and a tendency to travel backwards in time and you have the base strangeness that is Zathras.

On Babylon 4 Zathras was pinned and knocked unconscious by falling debris. This was a butterfly effect of Xander's influence on John and a few of the others there. If he had been awake he would have shooed Captain Sheridan onwards and away from Babylon 4 before the time changed. Instead John stayed on Babylon 4 and tried to pull Zathras free before he was knocked over and unconscious by other debris.

If John understood half of what Zathras said or even half as well as he understood others he might have left him there knowing that was what Zathras wanted and that was what the strange temporal creature remembers would happen. It would have been a short time before he would be rescued by Commander Sinclair. That wasn't what happened, time altered due to chaos and Captain Sheridan was there when Babylon 4 jumped time.

Commander Sinclair was looking much older due to his second exposure to the temporal fields around B4. He started to pull the debris that had fallen onto John off of him and was clearly upset. "At least you're alive."

As John regained consciousness Jeff moved on to checked over Zathras while muttering, "The time field is stable now. I hadn't…"

"Just a moment" Captain Sheridan interrupted, he was aware of his surroundings now and free from rubble.

It was just a guess on his part, but if the time field was stable then he might be able to use the portable Iris they called their 'Ace in the Hole' or Hole for short. It wasn't actually called the Ace in the Hole of course only joked about. The sides of the Iris held a mild adhesive that would allow it to stick to any surface well. The blackness that anyone who hadn't been to the manor saw was only part of the joke. This particular one didn't go to the manor but instead to _The Joyce_.

Sinclair looks from the black inky hole on the wall to a smiling Captain Sheridan; it was thirty seconds of smugness before he finally asked the smug captain, "What's that do?"

While Sinclair saw only inky blackness John saw the inside of _The Joyce_. He could tell it was the present time for Babylon 5. Giles and Jana were there just off to the side cuddling by the looks of it. Little Eric knew that this room was off limits so it was a perfect place for uninterrupted (by Eric) 'cuddle time'. Nudity was too much risk but it was enough to start them out before they found a good spot to do the deed.

"I forgot you never got briefed on the Irises, this goes to _The Joyce_." John looked again tossing a comm-link that goes on your hand thru the Iris, "I'll be right back."

Sinclair had been quite busy with Rangers and his head in the past; it was very similar to dreamers with their heads in the clouds. He didn't often dealt with the present and he realized he'd made a mistake in doing that. When he found out he was going to be a time traveling prophet everything else had faded away. He recalled now that Catherine had shared something about Iris's and Portable Holes and traveling to LeVelle Manor now that he thought of it but he'd been so busy and distracted that he heard but without experiencing it it was filed away as important but pertinent to what he was doing. He smiled recalling the impact Xander made in the Gray Council. This Iris made that impact a bit more understandable.

It was five minutes later, if that, when Xander LeVelle stepped thru with John. Sinclair couldn't help but think, _**'Speak of the devil.'**_

After staring at the two men for a short time he finally managed a "How?"

"I wasn't on _The Joyce_. When John called while he was supposed to be on the Whitestar returning to B5, well I knew the shit had hit the fan. I had to get to Garibaldi's room before returning to the Manor and then to _The Joyce _before coming here. Catherine hasn't been able to use her Iris so I wasn't sure, of course she may be in the time stream still so we won't know if she's out until she uses the Portal or we find when she appears. Do you have any idea when we are; are we when you need to be?"

"A thousand years ago, or thereabouts, yes this is where I am supposed to be. Where exactly is _The Joyce_?"

Xander grinned. "That's the real kicker. I would have thought Catherine shared a bit more with you. _The_ _Joyce_ is in another string of reality… a parallel reality if you will, one that is around the year 4000 AD."

"My god…" The future Valen muttered in awe. "And you go there daily?"

"Oh yea." Xander nods, "I wasn't sure if it would work but I'm glad it did. B5 just wouldn't be the same without John."

John frowned at him. "I am standing right here you know?"

That broke the tension and Jeffery smiles widely. "I think we're being picked up by a few Vorlons. I had plans in place to use a chrysalis to alter my biology to be Minbari."

Xander nods in understanding. "I've known for a while that you were Valen, but I wasn't sure when it all would happen. Pun intended. I had hoped that this would work but with Catherine's vanishing almost a half an hour ago, my time, and I'm only guessing at why she still hadn't been able to talk to us, I doubt you would have sent her where she went if it wasn't necessary…"

"Even necessity wouldn't have had me send her on a suicide mission with no escape without telling her what it was. No, I think she'll eventually resurface in time, likely sometime after I've been Valen for a while. I'm more concerned with what your plans are, I've studied the past so I could basically know where to go in my future but even then it was only a rough guide nothing so detailed as to make me feel as though I have no choice in it."

Xander grinned. "We can use this to ensure you have proper supplies and such, and we have a very good history of events, races that the Shadows wiped out. I don't want to alter the perception of history that we are aware of. I was thinking that we can save quite a few people, races, and technology all the while hitting the Shadows harder than what is written and maybe after the war we can salvage B4 and transport her to another realm."

"Yes" Jeffery smiles. "I can see that. The history I researched confirmed that the Tak'cha is the race that was, or is going to be, guarding Babylon 4 after the war but it doesn't say where or how long they had it, a simple misdirection and we'd never know the difference."

"We will need to plan this with a bit more slyness. Do you mind if we put some more of these Irises in a few places here, and maybe a larger one that can be activated and deactivated outside on the hull?"

"I could see that. What is going to be their purpose?"

"Do you still have the leather runic strap Delenn gave you?"

He shook his head. "No, there was too much of a chance that it would be found and there weren't any others where I was going that I could use it with. So I left it with my personal things back in the future time."

"Well I will get you another that isn't able to be seen by anyone but you or others that have similar ones. Then when you go into battle you can call out a few reinforcements or if they need to land and can't get to the bays…" he shrugged.

"Yes, I could see the possibilities. I may have been briefed on these but I don't recall them aside from something about transporting by fire and sound."

Xander looked sheepish and John Sheridan laughed loudly and asks, "The Gray Council?"

Jeff nods with a grin. "Yes it made quite an impression on them."

"Good, stinking bullies," Xander grouched gaining a soft chuckle from the man that would become Valen.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander was thankful for Captain Sheridan's return. He was in no way in the station's chain of command, but when everyone left from upper echelon of the station's administration, the lower echelons had looked to him for some form of leadership. Ironically even the Chief had been in constant communication with him while he was waiting in the C and C for the command crews' return from a dangerous mission. When Sheridan had called thru Joyce and then the Manor it was a godsend.

It was for this reason he was less hesitant when it came to working with Talia and just following instructions, in this case it was examining the minds of the Nightwatch. He could have done this on his own and in half the time, if that, but he was using this as a learning experience for Talia.

"You want to focus not on the thought, but on a specific memory key, memory keys start out general and then go specific, you can think of a specific time frame but only if they have the same time frame measurements as you or as you're trying to read. For example looking at their last birthday party would be fairly simple, so long as it was memorable."

"I see, from my experience searching memories was always something only the higher ranked Psi's were capable of; what do you mean by memory key?"

"Yesterday, lunch, laughter, those are three general keys. The last one is the broadest and will not net you anything alone, but all three will pull out a memory of his lunch yesterday and most likely a moment in time that he laughed or saw laughter. But you don't think the words you focus on the idea, the concept if you will, while entering his mind."

Talia nods, she had a runic tattoo that he'd done for her. Ivanova had been the only other person to see it, she'd been there when he did it, and had gotten one herself. The tattoo was a form of protection against mental influence and invasions. Ironically the two of them shared the method of keeping the tattoo secret, it could only be seen if pointed out, Susan's by Talia, and Talia's by Susan.

"What would be the key we need to use for the Nightwatch?"

"They're thugs, that or naive, we just need to see which they are and then speak with those naive ones. We aren't closing them down, but to keep watch on them all the time mentally is so taxing and stressful it's counter productive. We need to seek emotional motivation and definition of duty, the memories will not be quite as clear, but the emotion behind them… take him for example, look into the monitor, can you push thru to that part of the station?"

She did and almost gasped. "I did it."

"Good, focus on his image, then his mind, focus on who he is and then send a small trigger, duty, would work for him."

She did and widened her eyes. "He's not one of the thugs?"

"Nope, he works for Garibaldi as his second. He's naïve and too trusting, but honest to a fault and very hard working. He isn't aware of the larger picture and because he hasn't been let in on it, or told straight out what to do by those he's trusted in authority, he's going with the flow and not looking for the pieces of the bigger picture. I hope when this is over that it'll help him develop a better sense of conspiracy and motivation for crimes in the future."

Talia Winters looks at the security officer and nods, "I understand; now what do we do?"

He shook his head, "Nothing, Michael will talk to Zack about the Night Watch and what's really going on. He's actually already on the cusp of figuring it out. He's seeing things that disturb him for different reason. Being informed will clear up quite a bit of his frustration. He'll be one of the key people we have keeping tabs on the Nightwatch. The first time they try to arrest someone for sedition, they'll be taken into custody and banned from Babylon 5 for life."

"They're really going to do that?"

He nods. "I talked to John and Michael about it and it will be a clear and defined message to EarthForce and Clark that Babylon 5 is off limits to their tyranny."

She nods.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander woke with a start, _**'Xander here, who just called me?'**_

Talia's mental voice sounded surprised, _**'I thought you needed to have a clear picture for these collars to work?'**_

'_**The trumps are to give you a good feel and reminder of what your mind knows for you to initialize a message. I've learned to feel for it without actually thinking of the image, and I was just asleep so when you called I didn't really identify who was 'speaking', what do you need Talia?'**_

Talia was amused and curious but held it in to some degree. _**'A telepath just arrived, Lyta Alexander, she has with her several telepaths seeking sanctuary.'**_

'_**I'll be right there; I'd also like to check them all for mental triggers.'**_

'_**I thought you might. I've already found two in the telepaths she brought but I just don't know enough to deal with them without hurting the victim.'**_

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander stepped into the room and winced, he could feel the fear they felt. "Alright, before you are able to go thru the Irises we need to make sure that you're alright. It's fairly simple; I'll show you with Lyta as an example. You'll all have choices on where to go once you are outside the reach of EarthForce and PSI-Core." Turning to Lyta Alexander he asks, "If you don't mind?"

Lyta was frowning. "Um who are you?"

"I'm Xander; I was the one that helped Miss Winters."

There was such amusement at the non answer that Lyta huffs, "Fine."

Xander reached out with his mind and entered thru the eyes, whispering a soft "legilimens" before he was inside her mind.

He felt two triggers that she'd already disabled and he removed them completely causing her to flinch in shock.

"Done, you had two triggers that were already broken I simply removed them completely."

She had wide eyes. "I didn't even feel you enter. I felt you remove those control mechanisms but that was…"

Suddenly three telepaths fell to the ground and Xander nods.

"What just happened, are they...?"

"They're sleeping, a simple mental command to sleep when I felt their minds start to shift because they realized they would no longer be subject to the triggers. It was a trigger reaction I was watching for. I'll deal with them right now."

Xander entered the mind of two of them and on the third he paused, _**'Dawn could you bring me a Pensieve please?'**_

"What was that? I heard you talking in my head! I've never felt that before!?"

Xander smiles at the kid. She was maybe nine years old and had a hold of his arm which he didn't mind at all. He razed her hair. "It's just something I can do. Others can do it too, and if you are one of the few that stick around, you'll learn to do it as well, I'm sure."

Talia Winters lifted an eyebrow at the young man and smiles.

Xander pats little Lizzy's hands comfortingly and she burrows her head into his arm closing her eyes.

Dawn's voice called from the side entrance of the room behind a number of people, "Xander I'm here." The way cleared and Dawn approached looking grumpy and carrying some kind of almost spherical dish on and setting. "Did you have to wake me up?"

With a smirk he offers, "I could have asked Willow but I'm fairly sure that would wake you up anyway."

Sniffing a whine Dawn says, "You couldn't have asked Cordy, she was up already."

His smirk deepens and his eyes mischievously sparkle at the whining tone causing her to huff.

With a sniff she hands him the contraption, "Here!"

Xander took the Pensieve from her and focused his attention on the last victim of the triggers and then pulled a strand of long white memory from the unconscious form and plopped it into the Pensieve.

There were shocked gasps from the other telepaths.

Xander mutters, "Now let's try this again."

He had to remove four more memories. When he was done he looked at a male that was standing beside Talia and Lyta. "Watch this one carefully. I won't put him near anywhere that he can do things unsupervised for at least a few weeks. If you wish I'll take another look to make sure the triggers are completely absent after his mind has a chance to settle. He had some serious traps in his mind, memories of terror that would be projected into any mind thinking to undo the triggers. I'm sure that most of you have at least one or two small triggers, maybe mandates that carry some important weight reinforced telepathically. They could be triggered by anything from subliminal commands to certain circumstances. Some people have them and have such a stubborn will that they can break them or ignore them." He glanced at Miss Alexander with amusement.

The redhead widened her eyes and glared at the young man for teasing her in front of the others.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Do you need any more help Xander?"

"No, I'm going to be busy tonight so…"

"Would you two like to visit the Manor?" Dawn asks Lyta and Talia who both widen their eyes for separate reasons. Talia because she had not yet spent any amount of time socializing with the people from the Manor and Lyta because she felt like she'd just been offered much more than a visit and that offer had very serious sexual connotations to it.

Xander rolled his eyes and clears the minor trigger out of the girl now sleeping half in his lap. "Dawn if you want to take Little Lizzy here, the room next to Eric's has a bed in it. She's going to sleep for at least a half a day, quite exhausted that one."

One of the others there explains it aloud, "She's had a hard time controlling her ability, and so many voices have given her insomnia, hard to sleep when everyone is shouting at you."

"When you get there give her one of the eye covers. It should help with the voices at the Manor."

One of the male telepaths asks him, "Eye covers?"

Xander nods. "They're something to help keep the voices out while you sleep. It gives your mind a chance to rest without having to work at keeping the voices out. Not something she can walk around with it on but it should help."

That was a shock but the man smiles and sighs, "Thank you!"

Xander shrugs. "If you wish, you can go with her?"

The man's eyes light up and he nods, Xander reaches in and removed three triggers from the man's mind. Only one was valid and dangerous the other two were broken by the love for his daughter.

The rest of the twenty five telepaths were cleared quickly. Two kids went to the Manor while the rest were given quarters by Garibaldi. It would be some time before they left the station, half of them going to the Narn Base Camp and a good portion of them to Blasedale.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"Did the telepaths get on their way?" Xander asked Michael, he'd expected most of them to use the Iris and he'd not really paid much attention.

"Yea, I think all but the four that left thru LeVelle Manor went to the two base camps on either Narn or Blasedale's Alpha."

John spoke up, "They call them base camps but really they're developing into cities unto themselves."

Xander nods. "I haven't been to Narn yet, but Blasedale's Alpha has had to set up a few dozen security protocols. That Earth hasn't run into any aliens really so we don't want to give them a scare or have them dissecting people, not sure they would but…"

John nods. "I've been to Blasedale's Alpha a few times myself. I doubt they would unless they fell in with the wrong element."

Michael redirected the conversation, "The last of the telepaths took a transport with the Markab that were going to Narn to join in the Alliance."

"Really, that's a good thing… right?"

John shrugs. "They don't have the tech to be a sufficient force to help but they won't hinder either. Perhaps they will be able to replenish their numbers and the tech they're exposed to may help them advance quickly enough to eventually help sufficiently. I seriously doubt they'll be a hindrance."

Michael was smirking. "They aren't the only non allied race sending either envoys or signing non aggression pacts with the Alliance. They're just the fewest in the number of their race. The telepaths that went with them were a few that had met them thru Dawn."

Xander nods. "That's good, Dawn has a good judge of character and if she paired them up I can't help but think she did it for a reason."

"Oh I'm sure she did, since evidently the humans she sent with them were genetically compatible with some very minor adjustments. She mentioned something about Prolong ensuring the health of any children they had and the telepaths she encouraged to go with them were already been open to the idea."

Xander starts to ask, "If you knew… oh eww!"

John laughs giving Xander a nod of personal agreement. "Yes, the sexual practices of some races aren't something I'm interested in."

"I think you have your hands full with Delenn John, not that she would be opposed if you both found someone you cared for deeply."

John blushes red which causes some laughter from Xander and Michael.

"Changing the subject just a bit, cause I always like to make people blush, Emperor Turhan visited yesterday. The NC (Narn-Centauri) Alliance is growing, he mentioned that but as it stands the Centauri are bringing the most technology to the table and as they haven't outsourced that to the other races it has increased their economic stability much more so than out and out war would. With the clean up in the Centaurum and then the growth in economic stability the NC Alliance is quite popular as is his popularity. I think the Shadows are going to have a very hard time when it comes to facing the NC Alliance."

John nods. "Delenn stated that the Minbari have also sent envoys to the Alliance as well. They're being recognized as the main fighting force against the Shadows according to what she'd heard on Minbar."

Michael sighs taking a drink of his non alcoholic bear. Something Xander had programmed into the food replicator for him and he'd verified it wasn't alcoholic. It was quite nice to drink without worry over the effects, even for the short time it would the inhalers took affect. Every once in a while he'd feel almost like his body was going to have a buzz soon. "I'm still surprised that the Narn have been so openly friendly with the Centauri. I mean after what they did to the Narn Ecosystem I could see the bad blood."

John shook his head. "Narn has already started to revitalize their ecosystems. They also have a planetary defensive grid up and running. According to what I've heard the technology base is quite unique in its blend of Blasedale tech, EarthForce tech, Centauri tech, and LeVelle tech."

Xander shrugs. "I know O'Neill spent a few days there working with them on some project, but he didn't mention what and I didn't really pay that much attention. It's probably some Goa'uld based tech. I suppose I could ask, but quite frankly I like the idea that the Narn planet is so protected now. Dawn has a few plans for salvaging the DNA of the telepaths on Narn from Jeffrey's time."

Michael asks, "Will that affect the timeline? I mean we all saw the timeline that you weren't here to help and quite frankly it wasn't something I wish to occur."

Xander shakes his head. "The way we want to do it isn't actually going to save their lives; I mean I wish we could but it isn't likely at the moment. There is an ally that might be able to help ensure they are fully grown clones that die instead of the actual people but I'm not sure if we can do that or not. Time will tell and that isn't for a year at least, if the timeline is recorded right and I think it is."

"What else do have planned for Jeff's time?"

"For starters we have a list of critters on Narn which became extinct from the occupation and essential to the ecosystem, plant life too. We're going to collect quite a few samples to replenish Narn. It's the same with a few other races that are extinct. Timing however is going to be essential and we don't want to tip our hand in this."

John smiled and then chuckled and lifted his glass.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The talk with John and Michael had spurred Xander into thinking more and more on the aspect of time.

'_**The only thing we know for certain about temporal anomalies is that they exist.'**_

With Catherine Sakai not turning up in Jeffrey time in the past, at least not yet, it was confusing to some degree. '_**The two timelines are obviously running parallel now, so why hadn't Catherine's timeline become another parallel?'**_

It was three weeks of constant computer verification on the celestial date that they verified that the timelines were now parallel but Catherine's vanishing and lack of contact really was a nagging little nuisance. Xander couldn't help but feel unease at not knowing her fate. Xander often felt the need to know something which caused his mind to search out, pushing the limits to retrieve the answer he felt he needed to know. It was quick and complete, even when he'd not 'learned' it so completely. It was a personality quark that his other self didn't have and was a side effect of both his Treecat Animagus form and the aspect of the demon he'd overcome.

Searching the database for temporal anomalies, time travel, and related subjects, things that cause them, he found quite a bit of research on it. He spent several days working on reading through it all, he wasn't a super genius or had speed reading down like Willow and Dawn did, that meant time consuming, _boring_ work.

Ironically Xander spent spear time with Angel while he was painting at the Manor. The easel held a portrait of Babylon 5 from the yard of the Manor and Xander couldn't help but look at it with awe and think, _**'Angel's art work is truly a masterpiece.' **_

Angel smiled picking up the thought as if sent. "Thanks! So what has you in research mode?"

Xander winced. "You know I'd make a wish but I'm not sure the headache for this would be worth it."

"What is it?"

"Time; I'm a bit worried about Catherine Sakai. I've also been worried about screwing up the timeline from where or when Commander Sinclair is now or where Catherine will be."

Angel spoke with conviction, "I can see that, but if you did screw up than we'd already know about it because it'll have already happened."

Xander growled, "Huh!?"

Angel laughs at the growl, "Think of the past, it's already fixed; everything that happened already happened in such a way that the current time frame sees it as happened without a doubt. I think we may be fulfilling a self fulfilling prophecy by rescuing people that were made extinct in the past. Maybe we aren't but I don't see us messing up because if we did we'd have known about it beforehand and then both corrected it and appear to mess up on purpose so we can keep the known 'facts' the same."

Xander glared at him for a moment then nodded. "Magical or technological, they seem to agree with you for some strange reason, at least for fixed temporal anomalies. The fact that not all time travel is fixed should be obvious with the different realms we've been to."

"Exactly, but this isn't like that."

"Yea well it is in that we can see both times traveling at exactly the same speed and the same with the other realms. We really don't know if it is the past or just another reality that is a possible past. Like we are their possible future but if they get there, there will be another us doing this all over again."

Angel was smirking at the young man that was now in a mental tizzy and asks, "So what have you discovered about time travel?"

"The magical side of things have spells and artifacts that were put together to affect time. The arithmantic equations, I'm not completely familiar with how they relate to the actual spells but I'd swear they look like some of the formulas the SGC added to the database."

"That actually makes sense, if you consider some believe magic to be some form of natural manipulation of energy doing what could be done using high science. I heard them talking about time turners a while ago. That girl Hermione had used one her third year."

"Time turners only work for a few hours a day and create a fixed temporal anomaly; it's something akin to a bubble loop in time. I think she wrote a paper about her experience, here it is; _Time Turners & the Universal Resistant Paradox Theory – by Hermione Granger_. She and Carter and Jack have thesis papers on actual personal experience with time travel even if it's only hinted at in the script. Though Jack's isn't listed under his name the '_Anonymous w/LL'_ is obviously his. They all talk about the scientific foundation for it in the thesis. Ironically, Jack's is the only one I understand from start to finish."

Another irony of the situation was that Manticore and Grayson's realms had the least amount of factual information concerning time travel of all the realms and they were the furthest along. Even Blasedale and San Vale had some theories on time travel backed up by scientific observations.

Angel laughs, "Are you going to write your own now?"

With a smile Xander shakes his head, "Maybe but not for a while." It was quite humorous for him to find their names. "I do think I'm going to visit Hogwarts and see if I can talk with Hermione and get her to explain this paper to me verbally. If I can read her while she does so maybe I'll understand it."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

At Hogwarts Xander met-up with Harry, Hermione and Ginny. He'd spent most of that time talking to Harry and Ginny while Hermione quickly read thru the accumulated information he had on time travel.

Hermione approached. "As it turns out the enchantments don't actually produce temporal anomalies they manipulate tachyons found in nature. The similarity between the formulas from the SGC and Arithmancy are because the control mechanism to control how long they go back is quite similar to the way the stargate and solar flair interacted and we don't have enough information on the cause with Babylon 5's time travel to compare. Regardless the way SGC traveled was something comparable to a wild shot in the dark but basically the same thing magic does with the time turner."

"Do you have any idea whether or not I could get more information in the wizarding world on time travel? I'm curious about how they may interact with the way the Irises puncture reality."

"I'd recommend talking to Susan's Aunt; she's the Minister and would be able to talk to the Unspeakables. They could do a number of tests using Irises and time turners, record the results, and then draw some conclusions from that but unless you want to tear apart an Iris with Arithmancy spells I doubt you're going to see an actual magical interaction defined."

With a sighs his thanks but before he leaves Hermione tells him, "You might want to talk with Willow and Wills if you do; they're going to be utterly upset with you if you do this without them."

Xander grimaced and nodded.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Babylon 5 was a safe haven for Lyta. She'd found a home of sorts here and missed the crew greatly when she'd left. However now she was on edge and it had nothing to do with PSI-Corp. She really disliked being on edge like this because she wasn't sure of the reason though she was sure of the circumstances leading up to it. That first night in the Manor she'd felt like she was on trial and not the bad kind but the kind you have when buying a large ship, you want to make sure it's running good and that you're comfortable, and the scary thing was… she was comfortable at the Manor, as comfortable as the people there were with her. Dawn, the elder one, Cordelia, Kendra, Willow, and even Buffy had given her the emotional seal of approval. She felt the urge to find Xander and bed him properly but was fighting it. She checked her mind and knew there were no compulsions there, she also knew that she'd not had sex for quite some time and to be honest she was a bit afraid, afraid of what? She wasn't sure.

She didn't want to leave the realm on a permanent basis, not until the Shadows were dealt with. She'd met the humans on the Prometheus and liked the EDC but it hadn't been what convinced her it was a different realm all together. No, the treatments she and the other telepaths received on _The Joyce_ were. The EDC could have given the treatments but Dawn had been quite eager to practice more medicine. The treatments weren't the only medical marvel they witnessed they'd also spotted Rebecca and Harry's child in the tubing tank.

Lyta recalls the plans she'd hatched before meeting the strange and new allies, before stumbling over the resistance and telepaths on the run. She'd planned to visit Vorlon Space at all costs with only a prayer that they'd pick her up.

With her mind made up she approached Kosh. "You are unsure of your future."

The one thing that was sure, "I want to help fight Shadows."

"Fighting… difficult tasks rest in your path."

Lyta fidgeted. "My place is here, until the Shadows are defeated."

"You seek help from us?"

"My place in the coming confrontation is by the Vorlon's side… I just want to do something."

"You are ill-suited to help all Vorlon. Mind is strong enough but flesh is weak."

"What do I do? How can I help?"

"I am leaving with a prisoner seventeen hours from now. Come to my ship. It will be three weeks time before you return."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Less then forty-eight hours after Kosh left several Shadow agents started their approach to infiltrate Babylon 5. They were made note of on the ships they were using for transport because the pawns to the Shadows collapsed as had the now spider like creatures did the same at the exact same time. The pain they were in lasted for hours before they succumb to death. The 'medical emergency' and 'stowaways' had the ship's priority for docking sped up so they could 'get help' never realizing the reason they became ill was the proximity to Babylon 5 and the two magical orbs that they put at ends of the station.

Garibaldi approaches another ship's captain. "I'm going to need to search the man's quarters for anything that might help narrow down the cause. If it was just a health issue that would be one thing but with those two pets of his…"

The captain shrieked, "Pets?"

Garibaldi wasn't a telepath but ever since he started practicing the use of the rune communication strap he'd found on occasion he could focus on the eyes and see if they were lying or pick up thoughts and memories. Xander told him this was legilimency and a magical skill that needed practice, right now he could tell this captain was making a mental promise to never again do a favor for the idiot _former_ friend who'd vouched for the passenger and asked him to take him to Babylon 5. He had no idea he was smuggling Shadows or anything but hadn't asked because of who had asked him for the favor. The title 'smuggler' was used because at no time did the idea of pets especially demonic ones enter the picture and the man thought the Shadows he saw appear out of 'thin air' were as demonic as they come.

Garibaldi nods. "Yes, we had one that had two pets on the station. The pets are an arch enemy of the Vorlon and we turned the man keeping them over to the ambassador when he attempted to use malicious telepathy on a guest. The guest killed the two Shadows, that's what the Vorlon call them, and we took the human that was never reported as a telepath into custody. Anyway it is likely that the human is an unregistered telepath which we don't have a problem with, but considering his choice of pets there is little doubt that he was using it with malicious intent. We want to know what your passenger's intention with Babylon 5 was and if we can trace where he picked up his pets…"

"I see. I know you didn't have to share this much with me, I appreciate it, Chief Garibaldi."

Michael smiled as he heard those honest words. He was netting himself a contact that would share information even if it got someone he trusted in trouble. It would also ensure the man didn't hide anything when it came to his manifest and the ports of call he'd visited.

As lodging the man was a favor he'd shared the name, James Garner, and locations, _Rasa XII_. It wasn't any place in particular that Garibaldi knew well but it was another possible node on the Shadow's network. This was only one of six ships requesting help with collapsing members of their crew. Of the six only two had pets the other four were going to be held and investigated. Not all of the captains had been pleased about this, but one word that was used on a fraudulent basis was 'bio hazard contaminant'. Franklin had even given them all fake inoculations, well they were real enough but not for something that had become an issue. The Doctor had thought this was a perfect opportunity to administer some immunizations that Dawn shared with him originating from Beowulf in the other realm.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Michael enters the Captain's office. "Captain, it looks like those Anti-Shadow orbs of Xander's are working. I don't think it is a coincidence that Kosh leaves and suddenly we're inundated with collapsing people."

John sighs. "Is there any reason you can think of that Morden didn't collapse?"

"Maybe as he was here already when he put them together…" Michael shrugs.

John nods. "I'll ask Xander if he has any ides."

Delenn speaks up; she was having tea with John when Michael entered, "There has been increased report of Shadow activity by the religious cast. The Warrior Cast has even reported sightings of the arachnid like ships that vanish before they can be fired upon."

"We know the Shadows are moving in the shadows, we've cut them out of many different opportunities, and I'm not sure how long we'll be able to continue doing that without them staging a major retaliation. I suspect that they were planning to have multiple agents here when Kosh returned and may have even thought of trying to corrupt our guests."

Which guests didn't need pointed out, they'd corrupt them all if they could, but Xander and the Manor was likely one of their major targets for either destruction or corruption.

Ivanova enters. "We just got word in C 'n C. Clark is sending out ships en-mass to help… 'Protect' Babylon 5 space around Epsilon III."

Michael was the one that responded, "Shit!"

Delenn was amused at the man's choice of cussword because, in part, her John was refraining from voicing that same word.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

In Sunnydale Xander Harris was meeting with Riley thru an Iris. Well actually he'd been invited to Riley's wedding. This was the bachelor party which was lame by any normal comparison to ones Xander had seen on the television set. Nobody wanted to risk getting drunk, hiring hookers, or strippers, or doing anything that might incur the wrath of a demon hunter.

George Hammond spoke with a Texas drawl, "Tell me son, how was it you met my daughter, she's never really said, though by her hugging this young man I would suspect he had something to do with it?"

Xander was amused at the gulp Riley gave out. "I'll share; don't want to get you shot or anything Riley."

George turned to Xander and gestured for him to continue.

"Riley ended up in Sunnydale a few years back, that's where I live you see. He was involved in a major FUBAR Op in town that civilians had to bail out the soldiers. Riley stayed in town on his own, in part because of the civilians, in part because the hostiles were still flooding into the area and he felt he could do some good."

George could usually tell an honest man from a liar and this young man had the eyes of an old soldier that never learned to lie, he could lie if he needed to but would have to feel the need beforehand and George couldn't see why he would need to right now. With his curiosity peeked George Hammond asks, "Hostiles son?"

"Hostile Sub Terrestrials, not a large issue now but at the time… well we're lucky to still have California and not have it nuked off the face of the planet as an economical retaliation for the insurgent hostiles."

George didn't gulp but the boy knew how to tell it properly at least. The question in the former general's mind was _**'Is he right?'**_

"Anyway Riley helped out for quite some time and then we end up with some visitors that looked quite a lot like some of my friends, myself included. It turns out they had a method to transverse the reality, or dimension, I never really paid attention. The Xander LeVelle that came with them was a bit fitter than me, a year or two younger, and shared the same memories I had up until two years before I graduated Sunnydale High."

"Are you telling me son that there's another you running around?"

"Oh yea, he doesn't visit that much but he knew you from another realm, evidently that you is still on active duty. Anyway LeVelle makes these Irises…"

"He called them Doorways when he first arrived."

"Hey, he changed the name when he changed the shape, perfectly reasonable thing to do… anyway!"

The banter with Riley over he turns back to the amused George, "He's made these Irises that are paired up and go to the Manor which is in another realm. We can get to Sunnydale in seconds and back. With a new Doorway Riley decided on a vacation away from Sunnydale was a good idea and went to meet-up with his old team. Now you have to realize that FUBAR Op included a sadistic bitch of a civilian dolling out medication to help improve stamina, strength, and conditioning in an attempt to match the strength and speed of the HSTs. The problem is that is it was using parts from the HSTs and with their abilities it carried a type of energy corruption, almost like a radiation that affects the bioelectric field in the human body among other things. Our most common HST dissolves when you kill it because the corruption has not corrupted the energy holding the body together but held it together on its own so as soon as it's gone there isn't anything there to hold it together and it literally becomes dust in the wind."

Riley hissed out, "Vampires!"

"Right, but other demons dissolve as well when you kill them due to corrupted energy no longer holding them together. Anyway Riley is in South America with his old demon hunting team dealing with an increase in demonic hostilities in an area that your daughter was in. His desire to meet up with them was influenced by the recent medical strides we had to removing the junk from his system, he wanted them to have a systems flush if you will to remove the bitch's crap from their system. Making drugs from demonic organs isn't a good thing and anyone thinking to try should be shot in the head to save the world the trouble."

"Relax Xander, she's dead and gone."

"To Hell if there's any justice. He got in over his head with his team and called for back up and LeVelle showed up and scorched the Earth in that area, how large was the burn out?"

Riley was grinning. "I don't know and I don't ask. Anytime it's brought up Samantha becomes agitated, evidently she's been chewed out for it a few times and chewed right back."

"My daughter is hunting demons!?"

Xander winced. "When you put it that way it sounds stupid and dangerous, but my bet is that she's likely safer now than she was a year ago."

Riley winced and nodded. "Yea, but then again we have a number of advanced weapons that LeVelle gave us to use and an escape hatch if we get in over our heads."

"I think I'd like to meet this Xander LeVelle."

Xander Harris winced but nodded. "I think he'll be at the wedding the day after tomorrow so you can see him then. For some reason I get the feeling he wants to talk to you as well."

George lifted an eyebrow. He wasn't sure why but then again he had never known demons were real before. It made a sick sort of sense and he briefly wondered if his last command had anyone knowing about the demonic. He didn't even think of the supernatural and demonic in the same line. Nothing the young man had shared spoke of the supernatural at all so he had no reason to assume it was real. He'd be kicking himself for that assumption later.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander made his way from the Grayson apartment to the Protector's home. Michael and Benjamin lived in the same home, but today he was invited by the younger brother, though he was hoping to catch Benjamin as well. He had not yet arranged for anyone to take Prolong treatment and Dargol Serum yet but he was hoping to do that soon. The issue he knew was going to come up was that it needed to remain a secret.

Passing the guard and going thru security was like second nature and Xander made his way up to the forayer. "Xander it is good to see you."

"I hear you're an uncle now?"

Michael Mayhew nods with a pleased grin. "Not ready to be a father yet… thank the tester. I don't think a single Grayson wouldn't be pleased to be around healthy newborns."

Xander grins sardonically. "I'm just glad that the girls are satisfied with mothering vicariously at the moment."

"Come sit, would you like a drink?"

They visited for nearly two hours. This was a social call so nothing about business and the shop talk was kept to a minimum. Education, wives, and babies had been the focus. They did touch on Manticore, Haven, and farming of all things.

Xander was getting ready to leave when the Protector arrived. "Oh I didn't realize you were here Xander."

"Just visiting, it isn't often I get a chance to do that around here."

Benjamin nods. "Don't make yourself a stranger, you're always welcome here Xander."

"Thanks; oh I did want to speak with you though about what we talked about at the baby shower?"

"Oh, I wasn't sure if it was something you were offering."

"Well if you know of anyone that wouldn't mind vanishing from public sight, and moving to a new area or something, we can work it out. I really don't want to have them wearing makeup to make them look old."

Michael grew impatient. "Great tester what **are** you two on about?"

Xander shrugs. "There's a serum that rejuvenated the flesh, makes it younger and those that are too old for Prolong could be made young enough to be susceptible to it."

He nods and points out a few names, "Howard Clinkscales, Admiral Matthews, and High Admiral Yanakov."

Benjamin sighs. "The only issues Michael is that if we want it to remain secret they would have to abandon their positions."

Xander shrugged. "That or I suppose they could have some cosmetics done from Manticore or Beowulf. So as not to lie we would need to send them there to have something minor done. We don't need to point out how minor the procedure was."

Benjamin blinked and nodded with a chuckle.

"By the time they realized they weren't aging a majority of the population would already have Prolong. It is ironic that most of the allies we have are seeking interaction with other star nations. The opposition is less likely to seek out Prolong."

Xander nods. "For those young enough you might want to set up a Prolong treatment facility in one of the Steadings. It isn't like they know enough about Prolong to realize that some people are too old for it."

Benjamin nodded again and looked at Michael who was about to say something.

"If some of the opposition come to use Prolong or learn about it and use it while being too old for it, this might even help, in that it will lead credence and I doubt they'll realize it didn't take until they are older still."

Xander nodded with a smile. "That is a bit cold… anyway Benjamin, if you want to send them to Orbital Four at any point in time feel free, it doesn't take long but I would expect that you may want to schedule a month vacation for the appearance of traveling to Manticore Junction."

"I should be able to send at least one or two people to you in a few weeks."

"You might want to warn them that some places are going to be a bit more secular. The doctor is female not male. It isn't like she'd be doing a complete physical or anything but she does hold rank for her world's military."

Benjamin nods with a grin. "I could see a few heads turning at that, I'll point out it out before hand. Nobody will be disrespectful, but there may be a few shocked looks."

"Oh I'm counting on that. I just hope they're too shocked to even think straight when we start." At their confused look Xander offers, "Less questions that way."

Benjamin groaned as Michael opened his mouth to ask but didn't know what exactly to ask.

Xander left returning to his apartment and then _The Joyce_. He was going to talk to Jack and then Janet to make sure everything was a go. He really hoped that this helped solidify the powerbase of the less misogynic and non-isolationist faction of Grayson.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Onboard the Prometheus in the Iris Transport Room Xander entered thru he bumped into another arrival.

"Hello, I'm Xander." He held out a hand.

Chief Ryback shook his hand. "Do you happen to know where the commander in charge of the kitchens is? They didn't tell me much before pushing me thru that…"

"Iris, I wonder why they didn't."

Ryback grinned just a bit. "I think I was pissing off my former CO and he wanted me gone. I gather I was supposed to be told what was going on but the guy that had… oh there he is."

"Sorry about that but I really didn't want to have the CO see you there; he isn't cleared to know about this. I had to move the Iris into the briefing room and lock the hatch."

Xander offers, "If you need to destroy the Iris you can do that remotely you know."

The airman looked horrified at the notion.

Xander grinned. "It was a pleasure Sir."

"Chief, Chief Ryback, Xander."

Xander shook his hand again and made his way to Jack's office.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander knocked on Jack's office door. "Xander come in."

"General, sorry to barge in on you but I thought I might have a chat with Janet about her doing some medical Dargol rejuvenation and Prolong for a few old geezers."

"I'm sure she won't have a problem, geezers huh?"

Jack looked years younger than he did the last time they met, Xander noted, not too young but enough to know that Janet had used Dargol to put him in the age range for Prolong. His hair was now slightly red-blond near the roots.

"You recall anything about the planet Grayson?"

"Not much, but the Doyles shared some of their cultural and medical issues dealing with a heavy metal rich environment. Hard to believe they've adapted so well to the saturation of their environment like that."

"Adapted is good word. There are many factions on their planet but the progressives, as I call the ones wishing to stop being isolated, wish to enhance their equality but it is a slow process. The geezers in question are allies of that side of things. Hopefully this will help to promote some change in their world. Also I want to think of them as allies and if I have to make new allies of the next two generations then…"

Jack laughs and nods at him. "Go have fun. I think we're eventually going to have to post an MP at the Iris room handing out visitor badges, I'll talk to General Hammond about that."

"Oh, I also wanted to talk to General Hammond about a matter of a more personal nature. The Sunnydale realm has a General Hammond retired and I'd like to hit him up at his daughter's wedding with the truth, if you will."

Sensing a prank Jack asks, "What are you planning?"

"Well, I think George will make a good base commander and eventually having a similar position there to the one the General holds here. I just need to have them speak and get a feel for the idea."

"Won't that entropy thing affect them?"

"No" Xander shakes his head, "it hasn't effected Willow, myself, Buffy, or anyone else and we've been exposed for quite a while now. I think it has to do with the time difference but I'm not sure."

Jack nodded not really thinking about it anymore.

"Good luck."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander made his way to the medical bay and again bumped into Ryback. He was standing in front of a porthole gazing at the Earth. "Hey Chief, you look a bit stunned?"

The Chief points at the floating Earth in the black. "We're on a space ship?!"

Xander grinned at the half shout. He had a feeling the Chief was normally a bit more of a cool costumer. He likely had been of the mind to 'humor the crazies' when it came to certain aspects of the new assignment.

Xander grins. "Are you planning on staying then?"

Ryback nods.

"Good, I think after I visit Janet I'll check on Fitz, he's one of the cooks here. I'll introduce you if you'd like?"

"My tour guide went back to the Iris, said I didn't need to go back." He scratched his head in confusion.

Casey usually wasn't quite so easily stunned, but the offer of a transfer from his hated CO and a dismissal from the military with honors and full retirement benefits of a commander was something he wanted to know more about. The fact that an Airman had manhandled him wasn't a point in his favor but then again having the meeting interrupted by the CO was a good excuse. Only that the manhandling didn't seem to be aggressive or malicious had saved the airman from an ass kicking.

Xander briefly wondered why the SGC was sending an Airman out to retrieve the cook; he would look into that when he was next near the airman. He could already tell the cook really was a cook but at the same time he was former black ops.

"Janet."

"Xander, it's good to see you. Who's this?"

"Casey Ryback, his guide returned to retrieve the Iris I gather."

"Oh, are you here for medical?"

He nodded once. "Yes ma'am."

"Good and you Xander?"

"I was just going to make sure that you were aware I'm going to be bringing a few elderly gentlemen from Grayson for treatment soon."

Dawn was still leery about administering the Dargol Serum, it was her won skill she was concern for after seeing the way Janet could monitor and control it, she didn't voice that but Xander could tell.

"Say no more. We set up an Iris shortcut from the Iris Room to here. Harriet has already let me know about that."

Xander blinked he hadn't realized he'd shared the idea with her but shrugged. "I'll see you later then Janet. I think I'll go talk to Fitz and have him come show Casey here how to get to the kitchens."

She smiled and ushered him out of the door and then turned to Casey with a gleam in her eyes and a very large needle in her hands. Casey gulped and she put the needle down and picked up something small, he realized a moment later it was a very small needle. "It was a gift from General O'Neill; he said it set the mood for anyone that didn't have a proper fear of needles."

"General O'Neill, is he my new CO?"

"If you're working with the SGC then yes but more often than not your Commanding Officer will be General Hammond. He handles most of the day to day activity on Prometheus. I think he's quite happy to have General O'Neill handling the SGC."

He knew he was missing some history here, but it would come with time he was sure.

Before he got another shot the door opened and a long haired male entered, he was carrying a pipe that had something on it and Casey realized a moment later the attachment was a filter to make the burning tobacco smokeless.

"Fitz, this is Casey Ryback, I gather he's going to be running the other galley."

"Janet you are a dear. I've heard a lot about your skills Mr. Ryback. I do hope we can help each other."

Casey felt he should know the man the way he spoke, the smile, the twinkle in the eyes, but he didn't and he wasn't sure why.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4


	14. Chapter 14

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Beta'd by cj_cold

Chapter 14: Coming Together

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Rebecca Horne sighs. She received a letter from Amanda while she was packing to leave in the morning for the Christmas holidays. She was looking foreword to the break from Hogwarts and teaching. There was also the fact that she was staying with Harry and the girls.

Thinking of them as pseudo spouses caused a smile to show on her face. She was rather close to the small family and that was truly what it was. She noticed that she had no issues when using the mental communication bands when trying to contact Harry or the girls but even with close to a thousand years of bonding with Amanda she still couldn't seem to contact her using that method and for some reason they'd not exchanged trumps. If one of them could contact the other it might help but either the connection was stretching too thin or it just wasn't reinforced enough to pierce that natural mental defense that came with age.

Looking at the letter again she shrugs to herself, _**'A thousand years is far too long of a time to grow use to certain naturally occurring things such as not having a voice in your head that isn't yours.'**_

It was far easier to ignore a shadow of a voice she didn't expect or made an effort to ignore because she expected such with the aftereffects of a quickening. She wasn't use to accepting them into her mind so easily. Harry and the girls hadn't had any issues with it but she was sure there was a sexual connection there that helped.

The Raven gives out a caw to gain her attention and Rebecca looks up, "I take it your waiting for a reply little bird?"

The raven caws again and Rebecca sighs.

_**Dear Amanda**_

_**You know dear that I don't have the Methuselah Stone or even know where all the shards are. My recommendation is to tell Methos about the Manor and have Alexa see Dawn or Dr Frasier with the EDC. The Dargol Serum should at least send the cancer into remission. As he can approach you and Mac speaks highly of his character I don't foresee any problems with that.**_

_**This Alexa Bond sounds quite interesting; with the Dargol Serum and the Prolong she may live longer than Methos.**_

_**Where ever did you find the delivery raven, are you finding an affinity with them now that you can turn into one?**_

_**I do wish that the cell phones worked in this area; I will be in London regularly this Christmas holiday so I should be able to call you or you could visit. Perhaps you can procure one of the communication patches they use on Babylon 5, or more than one as you want to contact me. I'm not sure if they would push thru the magical interference or not. It may be faster if you need a response right away to visit thru the irises by way of the manor or follow your friend in the air.**_

_**Don't be a stranger my dear. I'll be at the manor or easily reachable from there starting tomorrow. Please give Duncan my regards and little Alexander an extra kiss from me. I'm having my own soon; I think I'll name him James or her Lily after the little ones father's parents.**_

_**You favorite teacher**_

_**Rebecca Horne **_

_**Professor of Muggle Studies**_

_**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry**_

She sent the letter back with the raven and smiled thinking of her future child and giggled, perhaps she would call it an early day and see if Harry wanted to fool around.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Riley Finn and Samantha Hammond's wedding was being held in Colorado Springs. It was a cool Friday afternoon just after mid-November, November 21, 2001 to be exact; at least it was for the local Sunnydale realm. Xander LeVelle couldn't help but smile, getting the General to take the weekend off from the EDC was an accomplishment but he knew that the local George had been warned somewhat before they arrived. It didn't help the shocked look he had at seeing his analog with Xander LeVelle.

"Are you sure I'm not gaining too much attention, Xander?"

"Not at all, you and George are dressed differently enough that you might be mistaken for cousins by those that know him or twins by those that don't besides it isn't like they'd think you were some sort of evil twin or clone."

General Hammond almost groaned but he was thrilled to be the daughter's wedding; he'd missed the first time. Not that Samantha Hammond had married Riley Finn in his world but he still wouldn't miss it when given a second chance.

"Is that your double up there with Riley as his best man?"

"Yeah and I'm not sure which Buffy is acting as her bridesmaid…" he focuses and smiles sardonically.

Hammond sees it and lifts an eyebrow.

Xander shrugs, "It's the native; she was involved with Riley for quite a while."

George couldn't help but smile, he was well aware of the young man's women claiming him and the culture of the humans on Grayson. He wasn't one to grip about that. He couldn't help but wonder if the local Buffy was trying to butter up his daughter to share and shivered with a glare at Xander who seemed to be just a bit too smug about that aspect of his influence in local realm's lives.

The local George Hammond had noted the visitor that looked like him with the visitor that was Xander LeVelle, one of his daughter's friends._** 'One that hunts demons and scorched large amounts of demonically infested land.'**_

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Amanda read the letter from Rebecca and cursed softly, Methos had been on the list to talk to, both Duncan and hers, but they just hadn't thought of it and then Methos had come to her with his hand in hand wishing to speak to her about finding a magical artifact that she had a shard of.

Picking up the phone she called, "Adam"

"Amanda did you find her?"

"I spoke with her, but could you come over to apartment and bring Alexa with you?"

"What is it?"

"There had been something I was going to talk to you about, Duncan and I, but we hadn't really put much effort in to finding you yet. I should have talked to you about it when you approached me, but it was… you know Alexander?"

Confused Methos asks, "Your son?"

"Yes, he's mine and Mac's."

"I know you already told me, I was a bit surprised…"

"No, I mean that he is ours biologically."

The silence made her wish she'd told him in person.

"That's not possible, I mean…"

"Oh ho, I wish I had a camera there. There have been some… changes lately. The process was called tubing and it used some technology that is quite advanced… medically."

"You mean…" There was hope in his voice.

"First bring Alexa over, you said she worked for Joe, I'll contact him and make sure he vouches for her and then call Xander, he'll take us to LeVelle Manor and we can talk about what we should have talked about in the first place."

"Thank you Amanda, I didn't know how to…"

"Relax, I forgot completely about it, it isn't often you see such an old friend so torn emotionally especially you. If anything, this speaks well of her character."

"I'll be by as soon as Alexa is off work; Wednesdays are slow nights so…" he really hoped Joe would let them go early.

She hung up and used the iris to get to Grimmauld Place before going thru to the Manor, she then remembered her trumps and groaned, she disliked using them, with some people it was natural, Duncan for one, but for those that she didn't see too often she seemed to forget about them until it was past the time she'd have used them. She wondered if it was a sign of old age, not that she'd aged badly… she patted herself down gently before she left the debarkation room, or iris room as some called it.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Native George Hammond couldn't help but stare and blink at visiting George, his double and then at Xander LeVelle, young Mr. Harris's double. The wedding was over and the reception settled down some so he'd decided to talk to the look-alikes. He almost wished he hadn't.

"So you want me to run a space ship?"

Xander winced, "Actually, what I'd like you to do is run a business we set up here, run the personal and coordinate those working with Riley, the Sunnydale group, and a number of others that we'll gather along the way."

Seeing he had his attention on the details now, Xander elucidates, "Right now there's only about fifty people total. Over half of them are from Riley's group and we don't have much say in where they go. That isn't something I'm eager to change but I do want to make sure we're aware of where they are so if or when they need backup we'll have the intelligence needed to attend to the situation and ready to assist at the best time rather then bulldoze in end up being more of a risk to them than they were in to begin with. I want to make sure that everyone fighting the good fight is given proper tools to do their job even if that means working with some idiots like the NID from General Hammond's realm, though I'd like to avoid that if at all possible."

The visiting George Hammond winces at the thought of working with the NID again.

"Right now, we could put together a ship in Sunnydale which could easily leave the atmosphere and reenter, which is a plan to work on because with the similarity between this world and General Hammond's means there's a strong likelihood that this universe has the same hostile alien races. We need to get a defense up and running and as you're retired this can easily be a private venture which nicely cuts out the political red tape for approval of anything you feel we need. Some of what we have we'll sell to the government and some we'll lease, but we have the economic stability already."

"What exactly is it that your company does to make money?"

"We sold some commodities harvested in other realms, but we also hold some simple patents that have helped push the technology development just a bit further. I'm not sure on the day to day business administration issues, you'd have to talk to Mr. Doyle about that and he spends most of his time between San Vale and Blasedale now."

George nodded, "I'll have to talk to my wife about it but I can't see her objecting as it will help keep our daughter and son-in-law safe."

Xander grins and nods in understanding.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander returned to LeVelle Manor, but couldn't sleep. The girls seemed to be preoccupied so he spent some time playing with Rose in the yard. The living ship had grown so much and seemed to float into and out of the wards easily. Xander had made sure the wards were keyed to her, but he hadn't been sure if they'd let her in the first time.

Speaking both aloud and mentally he spoke to the little one, "How's little Rose doing?"

The small ship might fit an infant human inside her right now but it would be a tight fit and wouldn't fit anything else. Rose flipped, rolling sideways while standing upright. The mental emoting was as much like singing as Kosh's companion but it was much more refined.

Xander couldn't help but laugh, "We're going to have our Hogwarts kids returning tomorrow I think they'll play with you some more too but don't go outside the bubble if you give them rides."

The ship seemed to roll its mental eyes at Xander, something it picked up from the girls he was sure. It was mentally conveying that it wasn't stupid and wouldn't hurt them.

Buckbeak screeched at them, the hippogriff and Rose seemed to find a very odd companion based friendship, but at times Buckbeak could be slightly jealous of the ship's ability to fly outside of the wards in the vacuum of space. They had taken Buckbeak to Narn on more than one occasion and he loved it there but Xander made a mental note to himself that, _**'I'd better see about a rune collar for Buckbeak; something to provide a temporary bubble of pressurized air like a magical skinsuit. Then he'd need a way to move in space, his wings wouldn't exactly work unless he had a means of propelling himself and I'm exactly sure if that would work. It's worth a try but perhaps for safety I'll add some kind of runic anchor that will pull him into the wards if he's outside them for more than a few seconds.'**_

Xander, Rose, and Buckbeak had fun for a few hours before unexpected visitors arrived from Grimmauld Place.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander was in a good mood but even more so after he found out there was another immortal willing to give up the sadistic game the immortals took up. Methos was old too; he could feel it when he telepathically felt for his mind and motives.

Methos blinked in surprise, "You mean that this tattoo will stay even with the quickening and will help prevent others from feeling me…"

"It will prevent their quickening from feeling yours. Do you feel Mac or Amanda?"

He winced, "I thought at first they were imposters at first glance. After a few seconds, when I realized the quickening was there only subtler, I knew it was them."

Xander nods, "That's a good thing, the quickening in each of you is, by our best guess one type of creature or entity or maybe energy that is on a level we just don't understand yet and likely never will. The tattoo cuts it off from the whole in a way that prevents it from joining, you'll never gain another quickening… at least I don't think you will."

Methos smiled at that, "I don't mind giving up the option of gaining more power and skills like that. I've had quite a bit of time and so long as my quickening won't be given to anyone else if I die… I think that would be for the best."

Xander raised an eyebrow and Methos shrugged, "I've thought of suicide to remove my quickening from play a number of times. I'm very old you see."

There was some humor there and Xander nodded, "Dawn is seeing Alexa now. Egeria used the hand devise you gave funny looks at to remove the cancer from her body. Dawn's currently using the Dargol Serum and monitoring her. This is the first time she's done the procedure with the Dargol Serum and wants to make sure she's doing it right. The Prolong is just a quick injection and it will help slow her aging down quite a bit. It will be another hour or so before they are finished up."

"That hand device, I've seen one of them used before, but it was to cause pain."

Xander lifted an eyebrow, "Do you think you could you project the memory?"

Methos frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Your mind is like a solid brick wall or maybe a series of walls but I've only seen the outside one. Amanda and Rebecca Horne also have solid barriers around their thoughts Duncan less so and Ritchey even less than that. It must come with age and the natural organization of your mind. If you push the memory out I'll be able to skim it off the surface."

Methos nodded at that, he felt a bit violated at the thought of a mind reader but that he couldn't read him without pushing was a bonus. The memory was sent, it wasn't a very clear memory, due to age, but it was there.

Xander couldn't help but frown; he pulled out a Pensieve and pushed the memory into it, "Care to take a gander down memory lane?"

Methos was quite surprised but nodded, they both submerged into the memory and Methos was quiet as he watched the memory in clear defined imagery. "This was it, what I couldn't remember…"

Xander nodded at him, "This is a Goa'uld." He gestures, "The hand device he used on her is like what we used only to heal. This is Egypt?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what they did with the Chappa'ai?"

Methos jerked and they were pushed out of the memory.

"The Chappa'ai, I think… I think we destroyed it, the memories are foggy at best but I seem to recall that a ritual was used to seal the gateway and all the gateways it could use."

Xander was surprised, "They sealed them; that would mean that nobody could use them… I didn't think that was possible."

Methos shrugs, "I don't recall why…"

"Where there is one Goa'uld there are more, you kill one and another rises up the ranks and assumes it's power and they'd used the Stargates not only to transport their troops but communicated. Without it the Earth was about a thousand times safer from the Goa'uld. That ritual is the reason you might not have Goa'uld in your verse anymore, they would be cut off completely from their powerbase unable to communicate orders, unable to receive boons from planets mining Naquadah… after relying on the gate system for a millennia they'd be dead in the water without it."

Methos was wide eyed at that revelation. "Was that girl…?"

"Egeria was one of the few Goa'uld who disliked the system and was being tortured to death for saving humans. In another verse she was the mother of the resistance movement that freed Earth and she became the queen of the Tok'ra, those that work with hosts to fight the Goa'uld and Ra's lot. You might find her avoiding that verse just because of the looks her names gets." He was amused obviously.

Methos grinned and nods in understanding, "I get a few looks from the immortals that have heard my name before so I'm not unfamiliar with avoiding the looks."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Susan, Ron, and Rebecca arrived to LeVelle Manor with good cheer. Rebecca had greeted Methos and Amanda, she'd not spent much time around Methos previously, but Amanda seemed to be aglow with joy. It wasn't only that Methos and Alexa had joined their little group but because she'd brought little Alexander with her and motherhood was not something she disparaged against. It was as though every little thing was something she'd never experienced and in a way she hadn't, oh she'd adopted children before but they'd all been old enough that she'd never experienced the wake up calls at midnight for attention. For some reason little Alexander had yet to get sick or ill, but he sure did mess his diaper a lot.

"Hey guys; or I should say howdy guys and girls?" Xander smirks, he'd not slept last night, after playing with Rose and Buckbeak he'd kept Methos's mind off Alexa for a while and further cemented his theory of some type of common pasts for all the worlds they visited from the Stem. It wasn't like he could test it and he only put a few thoughts at all into the electronic log, but it was there nagging at the back of his mind just like wormhole and hyperspace physics.

Hermione was the first to hug Xander in greeting. Harry gave him a half hug arm grab greeting that spoke of his maturing in the tactile touch area. The Harry of last Christmas was nervous about touching anyone and the summer before that he'd have only given a hug to Sirius or responded to a hug from girls with a positive response.

"So do you all have ideas on where you want to go Christmas shopping or what you want to work on until then?"

Hermione started to babble almost like Willow, "I've talk to Cordelia and she's made appointments with the colleges on Manticore to test privately for placement. I know we don't match up for secondary education there but I'm sure that we can find out where we need to study so we can attend the university on Manticore when we graduate. I'm so worried about the tests, I mean what if I fail, I know I'm going to fail, I just know it and we've worked so hard on learning the modern material…" she went on and on about the tests, the failing, and plans she'd made with Cordelia, plans she made with Dawn and Buffy, and plans Ron had with Egeria that had her blushing and glancing around for said female.

The plan, from what Xander could decipher was to take some sample tests, shop for gifts on Manticore, then visit the EDC and perhaps take a few classes with Mrs. Mallard on some of the easier classes they missed by being at Hogwarts and then a perhaps a few classes she could wrangle the others into for advanced workshops on whatever they had going on at the time.

"You do know that many of the people educated in different star nations don't qualify for Manticore… for Valasakis University, Skanderbeg, Mannheim, Palmer Institute, military, or the merchant trade schools. I'm just warning you that if you do poorly on one test you might not on others and nobody that I know of does all of them or even a majority of them well."

Hermione winced as the others half glared at her as she'd been all about study so they didn't fail. Xander smirks, "But on the good side of it, you have plenty of time to prepare and with Prolong slowing the aging process nobody will be able to tell you're seventy five before you…"

He was almost hit with a wide array of tickling and pinching hexes. He shifted into his treecat form and high tailed it out of there with humorous chitters.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander had a few hours of sleep before he woke, Dawn was in bed with him he wasn't sure when she'd joined him but then again he wasn't making that much of an effort to nose into their day to day activities. He knew she was often either on B5 with Dr. Franklin, at the EDC with Ducky, Janet, or Dr. Everett, or on _The Joyce_ studying. She worked harder than any of the girls, which wasn't that surprising. He gently kissed her forehead with love and walked out the door as quietly as he could.

The Hogwarts crew reminded him that he had a plan for some academic study and wasn't the best at the school stuff. He might be better able to understand people's lectures and such but he wasn't nearly so good with what was put to print. He searched the house physically then mentally and found Willow was gone, Cordelia was with Kendra, they didn't stay up all night with sex quite as easily as she and Willow did. Kendra was quite laid back, in some ways the darker skinned girl reminded Xander of Angel, the patient painter. He couldn't help but grin at that as he stretched out his mind into the irises searching for Willow's presence.

He found Willow with Wills, or was it Wills with Willow, it didn't help to keep them straight when their own minds forgot which was which for names, not that they didn't know who was native and with Harris and who lived at the Manor and was with LeVelle. Making his way thru the iris to Sunnydale he approached the Magic Box it was mid morning in Sunnydale and the sun was bright in the sky. It wasn't too hot but then again it was a week before December.

'_**I wonder how Willow and Willow can stand to be around each other so often. If I was around Xander Harris that much… he-he-he…. If I was around the other Xander as much as Willow and Willow are around each other I'd go insane. Or maybe it's that I'd go MORE insane.'**_

"Hey Wills." As if conformation needed shown they both turned inquisitively at their name being called.

"Xander" it was said in unison as they put down what they were doing and hugged him.

His Willow was a bit more touchy feely than the other one, but only by a bit. He was flushed at that, ever since his elder self had bedded Willow and Tara they had been more physically affectionate with him than was normal but still not enough to be over the line, not that he had a line.

"What are you working on?"

They gave him a look as though he'd not known before he approached. He flushed at being caught out. "Right, well I was hoping you two might agree to help me test… run a few experiments. I would like some help writing up a paper afterwards on wormhole theory and its application in temporal tampering."

They were suitably shocked, "What are you…?" They'd spoken at the exact same time and then glanced at the other and again spoke at the exact same time, "What have you…?"

If Xander had a camera he would make the others' day at the silent conversation that he knew wasn't taking place over the mental link. He mentally went over another project to look into, taking electronic photos or videos of memories.

"I think what we want to know is if you are using this in real life and just want to understand it, or if…" she looked at the other Willow.

"Of if you are actually trying to improve your academic understanding of what you know."

She nodded and they both looked at Xander LeVelle with a smirk.

"You two have been around those Weasley twin pranksters too much." He said sounding firm but they both rolled their eyes in unison as they felt his amusement.

"I suppose it's a bit of both. Working with people makes it quite easy to understand, so long as they understand what they're doing. I need to understand things on an academic level as well and so far I think most of my academic understanding has been siphoned off others. What we'll be learning is going to have some major impact on real life soon and we need to know the limits or possible complications before situations arise."

They both nod "When do we start?"

"Well here's what we have so far…" He pulled out three data pads and handed two of them to the Willows.

Reading off his own where they could follow him he started, "There's very little in the databanks concerning time travel but the EDC additions have some observational experience and theory mixed with conjecture and of course nothing helps us with practical reactions of time travel only what might cause it and how it is actually a manipulation of time and space. They've never purposely redone things to test the hypothesis they have nor did they recreate situations to verify the variables they only assume were there via the aftermath of the event. There's nothing of doing it in a controlled setting."

Willow on the right asks him, "How will we do that?"

"The Department of Mysteries has quite a bit of information and Amelia Bones, Susan's aunt, authorized us to raid the department's ledgers and time turners. They've not had too many occasions to test them or push the limits of what they know and so long as we make sure the theories we prove or disprove are documented for them they've agreed to share what they know."

The girls were wide eyed at that. The other Willow took her turn to talk, "Time turners, Hermione mentioned them. You want to test them with the irises but how?"

Xander was amused at the way they were trading off, "We'll test them within the same verse by sending one iris back in time and then going thru it to see if we're back in time or not. Do the same thing while the paired iris is in another realm and see which one of the two, past or current, that arrive thru. There is a vague theory that it will have two of whatever we send thru come out. We don't believe that sending the one back in time in the same verse will have whatever you send thru the Iris travel back in time, I mean if we sent it back in time than it might take however long we sent it back in time before to comes through the iris."

They nodded. "If that's the case than it will always send to the temporal location parallel with the current sender."

"But how will shifting realms handle that? A sequence of event needs to show a direct linear path and if we replace the first one with the second one like a game of shells will that upset the timeline? Can we upset the timeline purposely?"

They widened their eyes at that. The revelations of the experiments would be quite shocking to some.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Hermione looked around; even being a muggleborn wasn't preparing her for exploring Manticore. She made a mental note, _**'It's easy to get lost here. We need to stay with the group.'**_

"It is" Cordelia stated with a smirk at picking up the girl's thoughts so clearly. Usually it was Xander that picked up thoughts like that. She and the others that had been exposed to the aspect of the demon way back in Sunnydale had not made such a wide use of the talent; they hadn't turned it into a skill.

Hermione flushed in embarrassment, "I sometimes forget that your group picks up stray thoughts."

Cordelia grins as the younger girl's mind instantly goes to sex, she wasn't adept at reading minds like Xander but she often had a taste for what they were feeling on an emotional level.

"Did Rebecca not want to come?"

Hermione blushed, if ever there was a time for double entendre now wasn't it, if Cordelia's smirk was anything to go by she knew it and if Hermione didn't answer she'd only get worse.

"She isn't going to the universities here on Manticore so stayed at the Manor. I think she's planning to read to the fetus in the tube and talk with Dawn, no doubt your better… is half the right word?"

There was such an open teasing about that and how she worded it that Cordelia had to smile.

"Perhaps we'll show you later?"

Hermione shivered, "Where are we taking our tests today?"

"I'd recommend just sticking with Valasakis University or Skanderbeg University. The other two I checked out are Mannheim University and the Palmer Institute. They're known as Socialist U and for the Conservative Politics respectively, I also found that Beowulf has the leading educational schools when it comes to either medical or hyperspace physics, but mostly everything they know is shared concerning both so…"

Hermione nods at Cordelia's Gaelic shrug.

Harry speaks up, "They have private dorms at both universities don't they?"

Hermione grins at him; they had grown use to sharing sexually and didn't want to go back to not sharing. It was hard enough at Hogwarts with the Room of Requirement often used in place of their dorm room but the university wasn't going to have a Room of Requirement.

"They do, but you can also purchase an apartment and set up an iris back to the Manor. You all seemed to like the apartment we came thru here and Willard is the one you'd talk to about it. You'll all be registered as employees for Xander here and that may also help in providing your bona fides. The LeVelle Industries is very lucrative here and Manticore doesn't really want to get on his bad side."

Hermione frowned slightly at that, thinking the advantage wasn't fair but Harry and Ron were smirking at the thought of Xander's bad side. It was Susan that spoke up, "I know that Auntie Amelia didn't want to make Xander upset either. She's well aware of his abilities and has given him quite the breathing room with the Unspeakables. She knows he won't turn on a sickle and do something dark or anything but I think there are certain characteristics he has that almost demand respect. Are you sure he doesn't mind having us registered with LeVelle Industries?"

Ginny giggles, "He doesn't mind, though if you want to be punished I'm sure we'd let him use the paddle."

Susan gapes at her, blushing furiously.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the group acting like children. "We don't have much time before we take our tests so why don't we find a nice park to sit and…"

Cordelia interrupts, "Relax, if you don't know it by now you aren't going to learn it for this test. I don't honestly expect any of you to pass this test for any field of study, but it will give us an opportunity to understand what areas you need to study for each of you and then we'll put together a wonderful study plan. Dawnie and Little Eric already have them in place and Sirius, Aura, and Nancy do too. Aura and Nancy aren't planning to go to the university here, but feel they need to keep up with the rest of us and we all are going to be pushing ourselves to achieving some level of proficiency with Manticore's levels of technology."

Ron nods, "Not to mention adding in what Egeria is able to mix with it."

Cordelia frowns at Hermione in informs her, "Egeria is the only one of us that could pass the test if she tried so I'm not sure if it's really fair for you to try and push them into trying to pass this early in your education."

Hermione flushed and nodded, she would relax, if only a bit.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The testing was not a simple ordeal, evidently it could, if you were educated enough, go on for days. The normal education standards for the three planets Manticore, Sphinx, and Gryphon, often had students lasting upwards of three or four days for the simple placement evaluations for the entry level with basic proficiencies.

The lowest placement level was missed by twelve percent by Hermione; the others spent less then half that time in testing. The education they had from the advanced perspective was actually too advanced. There were some surprises, Harry's kinesthesia was off the charts, higher than they'd ever recorded before which was saying something. They recommended his attending the Merchant Fleet Academy or Officers Candidate School as a result, after he studied well enough for placement.

The down trodden group didn't even take the entire day to test, most didn't take until lunch. It was quite obvious they were all disappointed by their lack of placement and piss poor scores. Cordelia tried to warn them but it still hit hard.

"I think you need some healthy therapy shopping. Mr. Neufsteiler stopped by when you were in there and dropped off your credit pads. Now don't loose them, but if you do don't panic, they're easily replaced and really of no use to any thieves."

Hermione was the one that the shopping helped the most; she found a store that sold computers and learning software. She purchases loads of their product to give for gifts this year. She picked one up for herself as well but that was because it was unlikely the others would get one for her. The internal power supply would last a quarter of a century on the current power cells so there was no need to worry about plugging it in and it was hardened against the electromagnetic radiation in space travel so hopefully it would work around magic and if it didn't she was sure she could talk Xander into using runes to ensure it did.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The Hogwarts crew had been at LeVelle Manor for a few days now, the test results had dimmed their mood just a bit but as kids are like to do they bounced back pretty easily. Distractions helped quite a bit and one such distraction for most of English stock is royalty or the equivalent. So When Emperor Turhan made a 'surprise' visit to LeVelle Manor it really lifted their spirits. He and Lady Morella, his wife, arrived with the intention to visit for a short time on their way thru to the EDC which they'd planned on touring. General Hammond had issued an invitation to the Centauri and had arranged this with very little dependency on Xander or his people.

Susan widens her eyes at seeing someone come into the portal from _The Joyce_ that she knew was coming from the Babylon 5 realm because she recognized him as Emperor Turhan. She almost shouts the greeting or warning, "Oh visitors!"

She was on her feet and half bowing to the emperor and his wife. They were not accompanied by telepaths or his guards as was custom for visiting thru the Irises. He looked almost surprised to find a new face here and felt vaguely nervous.

Morella felt no such nervousness but than telepathy and other abilities ran in her blood, on the female side at least, "Greetings Susan Bones."

Susan froze just a moment before smiling. "Milady, Emperor, it pleases me to offer my greetings to you."

The 'lady' laughs, "Call me Mory please." The emperor glances at his wife in surprised and lifts an eyebrow.

"We have time for a visit before seeing to the pesky political maters with that Nice Hammond fellow, don't we?"

Never one to deny his wife the simple pleasures he gallantly shrugs, "There is no set time for us to arrive. I had assumed I'd be dining with Xander and his wives after giving relaying that I would be arriving and asking when and how formal are arrival should be. They tell me that keeping track of the time difference is almost as difficult as it is from planet to planet when the planets have different lengths of time per cycle."

Susan smiles, "I'm sure Dobby can fix us something to eat. I'm not sure… what do you like?"

Susan was eager to socialize and learn more about the Centauri and it showed.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Mory had enjoyed Susan's company, Hermione and Ginny had also joined her in the gossip session. It was not uncommon for a Centauri to have more than one wife if they could afford it though her husband and she never found another wife they could trust enough. It was one of the reasons they were here now, aside from the tour of the Prometheus. They'd spoken with General Hammond thru the communication hub in the iris room and it was decided the tour would start in six hours. That was two hours and thirty minutes ago.

Dawn had returned as soon as she heard they were at LeVelle Manor as she had plans to see to. "Xander told me that you two were going to try and have a baby but with Centauri culture it might not be acceptable to incubate in a tube. I have an idea I wanted to run past you. We can have the doctors on standby after your tour of the Prometheus if you wish to go ahead."

"What is it dear?"

"Well…" she was nervous, "I've incubated a fetus to full maturity for a couple that couldn't carry a child, what I was thinking was that we could fertilize two fetuses, maybe three and then treat you with the Dargol serum, and after we've stabilized the embryos we can implant them one at a time over the course of the next few years. Keeping the embryos in stasis will help."

Mory asks curiously, "Is there a reason to do so many?"

"Dargol serum helps with making us younger biologically my dear" Turhan states, "But at the cost of near sterility. I'm sure Dawn could extract viable martial after but it would be best to plan ahead. Xander already spoke with me about the serum and the risks. I wasn't aware he'd spoken to you Dawn."

"Oh, he mentioned it but we set no time limit on it. We don't need to do this now but I'm not a doctor I'm only studying to be one and Dr. Frasier and Jacobs are in the lab on the Prometheus right now so it's… I thought we could take advantage of it."

"Dr. Jacobs, I've heard of him, he was President Santiago's chief medical examiner wasn't he?"

Dawn nodded, "He's been helping me in my exobiology studies as well as my human anatomy studies in general. Dr. Frasier and Dr. Mallard have also been tutoring me, but it's more on the job than actual study."

"What do you do?" Mory asks her, "I mean you said on the job and I've not heard of Dr. Mallard and what he does."

"Dr. Frasier and Dr. Mallard work together in many things but Dr. Mallard works mostly at determining causes of death or illness while Dr. Frasier works on general health and injuries. Dr. Jacobs often lends a hand especially when dealing with illnesses or biological issues that aren't common on Earth in that realm. He's quite the experience for that and I believe they've already made the Prolong treatments able to be used by multiple species, though it seems every species is slightly different for that."

Susan asks, "Prolong, isn't that the longevity treatment to help slow the aging process?"

They all nod and she smiles, "I'm looking forward to that too, do you know how that will affect those of us from Hogwarts?"

"I don't think it will need any adjustment if that's what you mean, it just works that much better with magicals already slower aging is my guess."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Angel wasn't sure what it was that was different but he could guess. The last time the Hogwarts kids had been here there had been a sexual tension in the air about their interaction but it hadn't bothered him. This time it did. It wasn't until the day Mory and Turhan arrived that he had realized that it was a combination of their seeing the conception of the child and their body's need to have one despite the contraceptive spells in place.

Buffy was either in Sunnydale covering for that Buffy's absence or she herself was with Riley and Samantha, on their honeymoon. He suspected the former but couldn't put it past her to be the latter. Regardless it meant that his sexual frustration had nobody to share it with and unlike Buffy he'd not encroached on the other realms people nearly as often. Even his teaching art was less often than Joyce who spent as large amount of time on Prometheus as she did dealing with the Art Gallery in Sunnydale.

In truth he felt as though he'd become a house bound husband; one of those husbands who was the male equivalent to a housewife and often stayed at home and hardly ever had guests or a night on the town. He'd not meant for it to be that way, nobody else really stayed home like that; even Dawnie had places to go and people to see. To Angel he'd fallen into a rut, a routine of painting, reading, TV, and ironically gossiping with whoever happened to be in the manor at the time. Unlike when he was in Sunnydale before the wards were cast, he'd always felt the need to patrol, to keep watch, and to atone for what he recalled of the demon's actions.

With all that in mind he started feeling the need to accomplish anything of significance, anything other than watching Eric or covering commwatch on _The Joyce_ for Giles and Janna.

"Xander, I'm heading over to Babylon 5 and see if I can sell my painting of the station. I don't know how long I'll be."

Xander grinned widely and nods, "Good luck, say hi to Garibaldi while your there."

Angel nodded as he wonders briefly, _**'Why would I see Garibaldi?'**_

The answer came to him when he left by the way of the iris and realized the Iris was inside the Chief's quarters, though it was near the entryway away from the bed chambers and the living room was empty.

He left the quarters and went to the merchant area of the station, he'd read the information on Babylon 5 and was familiar with the entirety of the station, just in case they needed him there.

The first merchant he tried to sell to looked at it with utter shock. "I can't buy it, there's no way I could afford that Mr. Angel."

Angel blinked in shock, he didn't think the painting was that good but the man was obviously being honest. "You have any idea who would be willing to buy it?"

"Well there are two or three merchants that don't stay on Babylon 5 who would buy it; the detail is exquisite, there is such life to it that I had to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks with me."

Angel smiled in thanks and the man, Marty introduced him to Greg and James who seemed to want to bid on it to see who would pay more for the painting. Within an hour and half the panting was sold for close to a half a million credits.

With a loss of the task at hand, and no real desire to return home right then, he decided to take Xander's advice and look Garibaldi up to 'say hi' for him. He figured if nothing else he could throw back a few drinks and make sure the credits he got from the painting were legal and not some sort of counterfeit.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Willow and Willow had the time turners, the magical sensors and recorders set up, and several Iris pairs ready to be used. With everything set up, they decided they might need an extra hand.

"I think Hermione and Harry might help, we do need more hands and we need to mark the realm traveling irises from Sunnydale to Blasedale, Sunnydale to EDC, Sunnydale to the Manor, and Sunnydale to Grimmauld Place and have them there receiving a recorded relay of what is going on here."

The other Willow nods, "I'll go explain it to them and we can see if they want to help."

With Mory and her husband gone the Hogwarts group was slowly reminded of the depression they'd been in due to their abysmal testing while on Manticore. Of course there was sex to help but it only helped so much. They'd been more then willing to help; in fact they were interested and eager.

Willow told the other one, "Harry is at Grimmauld Place monitoring the recording, they also had the idea to set up a scout and viewer but that record is all magical. Hermione is at the Manor, Susan in Blasedale, and Ginny and Luna are on the Prometheus."

"I do wonder what will occur when attempting to produce a paradox."

After waiting an hour with no appearance it was obvious that without sending it back it would not appear; so made the note of sending it back at a specific time and suddenly it appeared.

"Testing Iris T01 pair now. We can confirm that T01 Beta-Tagno is the same iris as T01 Beta only temporally displaced. We are proceeding to temporal placement testing. To explain this before we begin it is a simple test. We will take subject designated Rock and place it through Iris T01 Alpha which is the part of the T01 Pair that was not temporally displaced. This is to check to see what happens, as the two mated irises hold not temporal significance we can only guess that it would either go to its mate that is from its own time or both mates. We will take Rock and send it thru T01 Beta-Tango and verify if it will exit T01 Alpha or be in limbo until the temporal alignment of the Iris pair is similar."

The other Willow shared with the others listening, "That's the basics of what we're doing to begin with; from there we'll discuss the results and talk about why they occur and then go from there."

"We are sending a small rock thru the T01-Alpha now."

Excited the other Willow asks the others watching, "Did you see that?"

"The rock has come out of both Iris T01-Bata and T01-Bata-Tango; it's temporal copy, we're scheduled to be sending T01-Beta back in ten minutes so we have ten minutes to finish this round of testing. We will send another back in time to that time frame an hour later."

Even after they sent the Iris T01 Beta back to become T01 Beta-Tango subject Rock and Rock Tango remained unchanged. They didn't have any recognizable differences. The next time they tried it they did so with a small cube of Naquadah and it too held no differences, there was no diminishing of energy it could produce not noticeable differences caused by the duplication process.

"We're ready for the next round of testing. We've already sent some naquadah back and it is viable naquadah we're ready to…" that was when Harry entered, Willows frowned at him as he smiles, picks up the iris that was going to be sent and verified it was connected, and took all three irises as he left via the iris he entered.

The two Willow looked at each other in shock, purposely causing a paradox was always part of the plan for testing but they hadn't talked about Harry doing it. As the time wound down that they would send the Iris back using the time turner, they both stared at the spot it should have been sent from, waiting.

That was when a time turner on the lab table started to rattle as though T Rex was stomping around the area. Willow and Willow looked at each other confused for a moment than looked at the table the time turners were set upon.

The rattling became worse and worse, they noticed it was the Tango time turner but the original was also rattling if not nearly as bad. "What's going on?"

There was some confusion as if the two Willows weren't aware of what was going on.

"We were doing something. Testing Irises?"

"Time turners!" Willow pointed at the table of rattling time turners, there was heat radiating off the two rattling items, or was it one rattling item in two places. They were shaking now so quickly it looked almost like they were trying to become one item, but didn't know how.

"I think we should get them into that magically sealed box…" before they could the two time turners seemed literally shake themselves apart, the explosion that occurred had no shrapnel, it seemed that it did have a very destabilizing effect in that the two Willows completely forgot what they were doing, had no memories of ever handling the time turners, and had no idea what was going on.

Xander entered the work area, he'd been observing the Willow's work in an area that he wouldn't be in the way. "Willow, Wills, are you alright?"

"Xander what are we doing here?"

"Time turner tests, it seems that creating a paradox destroys the time turner but it also affects the memory of those present, the scouts and recorders we have on the other side of the irises recorded it all."

Hermione came thru another Iris, "It recorded it all, we've got tachyons, magic, and electromagnetic radiation, even the light that came off the exploding time turners. More than that, the irises are still whole Xander."

Xander blinks in surprise and smile, "But are they still producing a double when put into the one that wasn't duplicated. I'm going to recommend that these particular irises not be placed in Sunnydale at any time in the near future, we have no idea if the temporal magic on the time turners will linger and we did the tests there. We do have more time turners and if this works we might want to do this same thing with a larger iris."

As they're showing the Willows the recording at LeVelle Manor, Willow gasps in surprise, "That's the largest iris you have Xander, I mean it will fit around a Starfury if we need it to."

"Yes but I think we still need to test it more extensively and no live specimens or humans right now, I'm setting a runic shield on the single to ensure that right now."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Nothing the group did over the next week on the Irises lead to any significant new discoveries. They decided to do live specimen tests on rats. Harry was smiling at that, he disliked rats and nobody was saying anything about it. "We could always use toads if you would prefer Willow."

Willow looked at the other Willow with a gleam, but Hermione was appalled, "No you will not! I could never again look at Neville in the face if we did."

Willow and Willow were confused, "Neville?"

Ginny shares with them, "He has a pet toad that keeps escaping. Trevor is quite magical. We could use a chocolate frog though, they aren't alive; you know enchanted or transfigured creatures that aren't actual animals."

Xander nods, "After we test to see if there is something to look for in the living specimens, rats aren't really all that aware so…"

The rats duplicated just fine but within a half an hour they started to painfully and quite obviously be pulled apart on a quantum level. The recording was quite familiar to Xander, "Entropy Cascade Failure, the EDC gave us some reports of it when using a quantum mirror to visit parallel realities, obviously they were quite close on a quantum level and it was reported that it was only people but they didn't test it against smaller creatures."

Willow looked green as she stared at the gruesome mess that was fading in the small white box, "That means we need to be careful and make sure nobody duplicates themselves by accident. I don't want another me to die."

"I wouldn't mind knowing if when one fades like that the other gains the information they have but I think we can put some runes on it to disallow sentient or self aware life thru the iris that duplicates. This does bring a certain profitable idea to mind."

"What's that Xander?" Willow asks.

He smirks, "Item cloning."

"If we wanted an item cloned couldn't we just replicate them?"

"We could, however that takes quite a bit of time and isn't good for complex items like those zats, or finished products, I'd be hesitant on duplicating a pair of irises with this process for fear that we'd split every time we traveled either way but anything else…" Xander shrugged.

Harry pulled out a bag of gold galleons. "Could we have the goblins check a duplicated galleon and see if all the magic carried over?" He was smirking, "I'd love to duplicate my wand but I'm not sure…"

"Test it on a galleon first yes I could see that."

The goblins would be happy to help and verified it was still a fully functional galleon, not counterfeit at all and no different then any magic on any other galleon. The wand they first used after that was an old legacy wand that worked marginally for Susan but wasn't her main wand. When it came thru both wands worked fine for about ten minutes than one of the wands started to fizzle and doing a check on the wand the hair of a unicorn was gone and the wood was altered on a magical level. The other wand was fine but it made them leery enough to document it and leave it. Evidently the unicorn hair was a victim of ECF (Entropy Cascade Failure).

The documentation of the Entropy Cascade Failure was something that EDC was quite interested in. The concept of temporal paradox created by dimensional interference was something the Unspeakables were excited about and it gave credence to firm hard copies or recordings of magical research live in action rather than relying on photos that move differently than they did in real life.

ECF was a major issue with more than just living creatures it was an issue for anything biological, anything that was living or alive at one time and that included plant life, algae, fungus, and animal life. When they made this observation Xander felt quite relieved that at no time would he be able to copy an Iris as the magic was connected to the blood in the runes, even if it was unable to ever be removed, and that didn't even cover the fact that the material they replicated for the irises was a wooden base carbon material so wood and blood would both change with the entropy. The wand stayed but the hair vanished, so the working theory was that the parts of the wood that made it able to channel magic vanished and that meant any doorway or iris copied would only work for a short time before it was became inert.

Of course several items such as weapons grade naquadah, a Starfury, and a death glider were all duplicated en mass. That said nothing for quadrupling the number of galleons each member had, or in some cases such as Ron and Ginny, they had several thousand galleons now.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Garibaldi smiled at Angel, "So you're bored silly?"

He had that understanding air; he didn't mention the absentee short blond girl or the fact that he was missing her something fierce. He could understand that without asking and he would consider it crass to bring it up. Garibaldi wasn't known for asking crass questions like that to friends.

"I just realized that I haven't been nearly as active as the others, I mean Cordelia spends a good amount of time building friendships and social standing on Manticore. Or spending money as I call it," he smirks at that, "but she's out there doing something. I don't think I've seen Amy or Michael in five months, but Mr. Doyle… Frank or his wife, Janet, stop by when they go thru to visit their daughter and Aura at Grimmauld Place and of course Frank is running or working with the ones running the financial operations of most of the different companies in those realms."

"Busy job that?"

"Since the relay in the iris room was set up to transmit and relay messages on a secure bandwidth it's been less hectic for him, but he's rather independent. I know that Harriet and Allen found their niche on the Prometheus and I doubt they'd leave willingly. Even Joyce and Dawnie have taken to leaving the manor quite often and I have no idea where they go other than Sunnydale and the Prometheus."

"And of course Mr. Giles and his Jenny are on _The Joyce_, does that get confusing, I can see why people don't name ships after people that are alive."

"It might have been better to name the ship _'The Joyce Summers' _rather than just _'The Joyce'_ but live and learn."

Garibaldi laughs at that. "Well if you're up to it, we are short handed, Captain Sheridan expects that with Clark's ships nearby the Nightwatch will be a bit bolder and we could always use another trusted hand."

"Good," Angel sighs with relief at not having to return to LeVelle Manor just yet, "What do I need to do?"

Michael smiles and shrugs, "I trust you're trained in hand to hand, I'll go over the rules and regulations as we work; most of it is just common sense."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Less than three hours on the job for Angel, the Nightwatch spy, Zach Allen, sent a report mentally to Garibaldi, _**'Chief, their making their power play. I'm in the Brown Sector near the personal facilities.'**_

'_**We're on our way now, Zach, don't do anything to jeopardize your position.'**_

"Zach's just sent me a message, the Nightwatch are making their move." He tapped his hand communication patch and spoke clearly, "Captain I've received intelligence of a crime being committed by some security staff in the brown sector, as per protocol I'm informing you that I'm seeing to the mater." _**'It's the Nightwatch, John, they're making their power play and I'm acting as we planned.'**_

"Understood, I'll make sure to make a formal report of the situation and add your report to mine, Chief Garibaldi, Captain Sheridan out."

"We're walking a fine line with the rules and regulations set up for the station which aren't the same as the standard EarthForce regulations. We aren't strictly speaking a military station. Clark has been working towards a conflict as an excuse to step in and try and take Babylon 5 but that isn't going to happen, I mean him succeeding."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Angel and Garibaldi arrived with four other trusted B5 Security personal. It was quite obvious that it was going to be a 'bloodbath'. "You don't want to do this, put your weapons down and we'll make sure you have a fair hearing."

Not even Michael really put any stock in his words, not because they wouldn't have a fair hearing but because he knew they wouldn't put them down.

Angel hadn't been in a fight in a while, but he was itching for one right now. He was watching closely and when one of the Nightwatch made their move and took aim with his PPG he moved. He was familiar with the PPGs and knew they used superheated helium as rounds so they didn't penetrate the hall of the ship. He also knew it would hurt like hell to be hit by one.

With ridiculous ease he'd swung a table leg like a bat slapping the glowing ball of helium back towards the one that fired it like he was a Jedi on Star Wars. If it was on the lowest setting he wouldn't have been able to bat it back because it would have dispersed on the table leg but with as much energy as it had on it there was quite a bit there to send back to the shooter. Angel's actions were too fast for the naked eye to comprehend exactly what he'd done.

The returned PPG round was all the confirmation one of the leaders of the Nightwatch of Babylon 5 station needed. He'd heard they had some supped up tech given to them from the _alien scum_ but hadn't really believed it. That didn't stop him from taking precautions. "Hey Boggs, have Roddy bring us that package, the one we didn't think we'd need, I'll try and keep Garibaldi busy until then."

The man's eyes widened, Boggs was not expecting to ever need those things.

The items in question were inside a secure box easily tracked anywhere on the station and easily retrieved but not so easily opened. They were firearms, projectile weapons that were often called slugthrowers. They were also outlawed on any space faring vessel or station due to the potential damage which would easily cost them their lives even if they were victorious.

The pitched battle was not nearly as personal as fisticuffs would have been. The Nightwatch seemed to be easily keeping the distance or moving away when Garibaldi's men got too close. Several times they'd increased fire at Angel when the man had tried to push his physical advantage.

Garibaldi shouted, "You have to be running low on energy caps, give it up now before someone else gets hurt!" This time there was a bit more belief in his words, he hoped they could get this done without anyone dieing.

Zach had already stunned three Nightwatch when he had the opportunity to do so without being seen but they were being roped in and soon, he would have no choice but openly declare his betrayal to the Nightwatch.

Seven more people had been zatted and tied up before Dobbs had returned with the package of slug throwers. Pierce Macabee was the 'Ministry of Peace' official and it was his decision to use the slugthrowers. The others however didn't object, save for Zach who had shot four more Nightwatch and moved to cover the backs of the added men as Garibaldi called in for reinforcements.

Angel had seen the weapons and knew of the danger they held to the station. He charged them not paying any attention to the gun's rounds as they found their place in the soft of his flesh, the first man had his arm ripped off with the gun still in hand and several of the Nightwatch stared in horror at the sight. Angel moved snapping one man's arm like a twig, but careful not to 'rip another off'.

The end of the fight was quick and Angel received more than a few odd looks. "Are you alright, Angel?"

"I'll live, but could you get Doc Franklin to pull these rounds out of me. And get me a new shirt because this one is lost."

Michael couldn't help it, he laughed. Angel just tore a man's arm off but he was complaining because of a holey shirt.

Four of the Nightwatch members died in the 'commissioning of a crime' and 'resisting arrest' and several more injured, but none of those too badly hurt were part of Garibaldi's team. _**'It's a good day to be on Babylon 5, but what will next week bring?'**_

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4


	15. Chapter 15

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

AN: takes place months after the last chapter

Beta'd by cj_cold

Chapter 15: Retaliation

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

LeVelle Manor was settled into a routine for all its inhabitants. Hogwarts was to be let out soon so Joyce, Dawnie, and Eric had helped Dobby set rooms to right for them but Eric had a about twenty minutes of chores a week already that Dobby was not to help him with.

Angel was now spending quite a bit of time with his new job on Babylon 5 working with Garibaldi. Xander had added a rune to his collar to protect him against the PPGs in case it was hot enough to melt the ring which luck would have it the shots from the Night Watch had missed. He'd added that rune to all of them including trading out Babylon 5's collars for the upgrades.

Cordy was spending more time in Blasedale and San Vale as well as at the Blasedale Alpha Base Camp, but still most of her time was spent with a few members of polite society on Manticore. She'd wrangled Xander into accompanying her a few times and they had time for a few dates here and there before she would socialize with those in power on Manticore and he would end up spending some time at the camps either on Narn or near Blasedale.

Xander would now spend at least three or four hours per day as a treecat but it wasn't something he put to a schedule. It was more of routine and not something he held to. Like all things a routine will pass with time. This time the routine lasted a few months before the explosion of the Babylon 5's nightmare began.

"The diplomatic nightmare of poets" is they would call it as it counted down to zero hour and things went to hell, figuratively. It was this that interrupted LeVelle Manor's quiet routine. In a way it was a relief for some. Of course that was in part because it was expected, week prior to when it occurred.

The clean-cut Lieutenant spoke to Susan with a crisp professional tone hiding his anxiety, "Commander, we've received word from several sources. The EarthForce ships patrolling Sector 49, Vega, Sinzar, and Proxima have all begun to converge towards local space. By the messages and distance away they should be here within hours of each other, I don't see how their intentions can be anything but hostile, ma'am."

The normally stoic 2IC, Susan Ivanova actually shows a bit of emotion with a resigned sigh, "Thank you Lieutenant Corwin. If you need me I'll be briefing the captain."

Lieutenant David Corwin didn't need to say any words, the look of relief on his face that she was doing this and not asking him to, was enough. _**'Captain Sheridan has never shown signs of the 'shoot the messenger' type of captains. There are far too many commanders who show their displeasure by increasing their decibels. I know I would have found my own with only doing Ivanova's job much less the captains.'**_

As she walked, Susan sent a mental message to both Talia and Captain Sheridan. She was still going to do a face to face brief; there was some need to keep to the SOP.

'_**This battle isn't going to be a short one. Thanks to our allies on Proxima III, and a few other locations that David spoke with, we have a good estimated number we can expect to arrive. We can only hope it is either accurate or overestimated. They should be arriving in staggered intervals all within a few hours of each other.'**_

John queued in, _**'We have enough verification in those locations that we should have accurate information. Let's count on them underestimating the numbers.'**_

'_**Captain I don't think we can hold off those kinds of numbers. What about the Minbari or the Narn Centauri Alliance?'**_

The captain sounded hopeful when he replied, _**'I'm sending word to LeVelle Manor, Xander should be able to speak directly to the Emperor and this way it's much quicker and more reliable than sending a communication that they may or may not be able to intercept, jam or worse, both. With Clark's loyal ships patrolling nearby and ready to take action against Babylon 5 we can add those to the numbers calculated. We'll need to stand on our own for a while. Once allies start to arrive we'll have better than even odds. I can assume that Clark has troops en route to take and run the station once it's captured because even he couldn't hope to hold off the entirety of the known races after destroying Babylon 5.' **_

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

_The_ _Joyce_ sat docked at Orbital 4 in the Yeltsin System.

"Giles…!" came the sudden shout.

The abrupt silence was enough to tell Giles and Janna that they were spotted, "Yes, my dear?"

Dawnie was blushing furiously. She wasn't quite as open about sex as her analogue evidently.

Her response was a cry out, "Xander!"

Confused Giles asks, "Xander my dear?"

"Oh right!" Dawnie shook her head to clear it, "Xander has a message from Captain Sheridan, he said to tell him that the Persians are coming and they're bringing friends. He asked if Xander would let Emperor Turhan know."

Giles gulped because it had been a close to a full three months since Xander had really done much with Babylon 5 outside of the general week to week little things which were now mostly handled by Angel working for Garibaldi.

Giles gently pushes Janna a bit off him, "I'll let him know posthaste." He reached to the tea table and pulled out an old deck of Trumps to aid him with his focus. It had become common for those that didn't regularly communicate to need a direct focus to aid the send through distance or dimension which likely only worked because of the Irises. The trump aided him in opening a mental connection now rather than focusing for a minute to achieve the same result. For some reason real distance was a bit more difficult to achieve a connection than talking to someone inside the manor.

_**Xander, Dawnie just arrived with a message from John, evidently an overwhelming force is soon to arrive at Babylon 5 with war as their intent. I believe he wished to ask for your help in sending a secure message to the Centauri Narn Alliance thru the Emperor.'**_

'_**I'm on my way Giles, let Dawnie know that I received the message and tell her to tell John that we'll be ready to party whenever they arrive.'**_

'_**I will, how far away from the Iris are you?'**_

'_**About twenty minutes out, can you ask Dawnie to set out my meet and greet suit? That should help make up the lag time.'**_

'_**I will do as you ask, Xander.'**_

Giles turned to Dawnie, "He's on his way about twenty minutes out and asked if you could let Captain Sheridan know he will make sure the Emperor is aware of the Persian party and its urgency. Also, he asked that you lay-out the important clothing for him to quickly change when he arrived?"

She nodded with a slightly dreaming expression. Something all the girls, even both Buffys had in common; they loved to dress him up and Dawnie was no different. It was a testament to his rush that he was allowing it this time, the urgency would make sure she selected the easiest to put on outfit in his important Meet and Greet clothing Cordelia purchased for him.

"Bye Giles, if he's twenty minutes out I'll leave now so you two can finish before he gets here."

Giles blinked at the closed door and hears the giggling, now fully exposed, Janna. With a husky voice the gypsy informs him, "She did give us some instructions; I would hate to go against them, although twenty minutes will be cutting it short."

Giles forgot all about the coming conflict for a short while.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander was with Michael and Benjamin Mayhew when he felt Giles' mental intrusion.

In the past few months Xander had spent more time on Grayson for a number of reasons, mostly though it was to bonded with Michael and Benjamin and to some degree even Captain Fox, the man in charge of the Office of Planetary Security and often assigned to the Protector's Palace Security. Personally Fox had grown on him.

It wasn't like he'd forget the tons of Naquadah he'd netted from the long standing deal with Michael Mayhew, literally. Egeria had already started to utilize the material for both an energy source; not to mention many of the technologies the Goa'uld had were based on utilizing Naquadah. Xander didn't really think of all the different uses so much as just making sure he had plenty and the Tri-Iris copy machine was ensuring that the tones they had would never run out.

His visits with the Mayhew family were often like today had been planned to be, a family style barbeque with shoptalk concerning the local politics mixed in with the talk of wives and kids. Today however the visit was cut short because suddenly Giles's telepathic communication interpreted it.

"I'm terribly sorry Michael, Benjamin however I just received word form Giles that I'm needed and it's a matter of some urgency."

Michael and Benjamin shared a look, they both glanced at Fox and Benjamin nods silent agreement.

Michael gestures to one of the armsmen and suggests, "Allow Fox to escort you, to your apartment I take it?"

They would spend quite a bit of time trying to figure out what frequency the sub-dermal transmitter Xander used was running at. Even Fox assumed it was a sub-dermal transmitter and thought the idea held merit, especially for undercover operatives. Within a month of this incident several operatives doing undercover would have a sub-dermal implant that would record and store audio-visual and GPS tracking when they were on duty and could at any time send that to any number of stations if they thought they'd been compromised.

Xander nodded agreement on the escort.

Michael smirked, "It's the least we can do and you don't live far, it should shave off a few minutes at least."

Xander nodded with thanks and was out the door at a sprint. Fox blinked before sprinting after him. He was having trouble keeping up with young man but his air car was faster so he had plenty of time to get ahead of him and clear the path to his apartment.

It didn't take twenty minutes to get there, it only took about twelve. Xander couldn't help but think of the balance between this realm and the other one, in this one Manticore and Yeltsin Star, the Graysons, were going to be pursuing a peace agreement and in the other he was rushing off to war which seemed inevitable and was already underway.

He ran up to the apartment and thru the iris. He would, after this, ensure he kept an expandable iris on him for when he was more than two or three minutes away. The time it would have saved might save a few more lives of his allies and cost a few more enemies theirs.

Xander shook his head as he entered the manor. Mentally reassessing the facts _**'Some of these fools are just innocents trapped in the chain of command at the lowest levels and just don't know of the illegality of their orders.'**_

"Thank you Dawnie!" he said as he entered his room and stripped. He had not paid much attention to the peeper but the sudden blush from her projected thoughts was enough. He also realized she was projecting her thoughts without a runic collar on. It wasn't meant to be broadcast. He would have to think on that later. Obviously she was growing sexually mature at a different rate than mentally mature and he would let the girls handle it.

It wasn't another three minutes before he was leaving the iris to _The Joyce_ and then the next one to Centauri Prime, into the waiting room the Iris sat in.

"Emperor Turhan, this is Xander LeVelle."

"I'll be right there Xander, I was notified to expect your arrival."

"Are you in a secure location?"

"Yes Xander, is it that urgent?"

"I've been informed that Babylon 5 is soon to be attacked, I assume it's by Earth… no not Earth just by Clark's forces."

"I see, I will notify my Prime Minister now, do you mind serving as a way-station so I can find out any tactical information?'

"No I don't, I've not been apprised of the tactical information either, and the attack isn't live quite yet."

"Thank whichever gods you believe in Xander because if it was we would arrive to a destroyed Babylon 5."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Ivanova turns to John, "Captain, I request permission to join Starfury Squadrons?"

"Request denied!"

"You're asking for those pilots out there to go against everything they trained for and open fire on their own ships. I mean one of us should be out there; one of us has to be. With so many out there along with Blasedale and Narn adding to the ranks we need a command presence, leading from the front. You know I'm right and it can't be you."

"Go… get them briefed and scrambled." he said with a resigned grimace, unable to refute her argument.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The four men were sitting in the Briefing Room, the display showed the local star charts and there were out of place colored dots showing blue, green, yellow, red, and silver/white.

"It looks like they are attempting to box you in and then send their forces into the box to subdue you."

"From Ivanova's interpretation she agrees. This here is the last known position of the suspected forces."

He clicks the projected lines dim just a bit and new bright points light up along the former projected lines.

Xander nods, "So the paths they took align with the projection you just had?"

"The main target will be Babylon 5," General William Hague gestures to the rest of the sector, "But the real goal is control over the neutral territory of Epsilon III and the sector around it. With the new alliance between Narn and Centauri and the history with Minbar it isn't a stretch to believe that they want to a toe hold near the other three major territories. Once they have Babylon 5 they would move into hostile negotiation and violent intervention. They will easily claim that the two factions within the alliance are at odds with each other and were fighting over a planet or a system and that they, 'the heroes', stepped in to liberate the locals. It will only be able to be used once or twice, but it will be enough to strangle any credibility the alliance has."

Emperor Turhan nods agreement, "A political maneuver which has netted a few Centauri a well fortified position. If Babylon 5 falls to this Clark's Empire we will retake the station, but I fear if they succeed in taking it they will gain the upper hand and we will only ensure that they do not have any room to wander in this area."

"Not all of your ships will be able to make it to the fight…" Xander mumbles and the others look at him.

John asks, "What are you thinking Xander?"

"Well they nicely eliminated any strength they have here and here…" he touches the display screen, "Vega, Proxima, and Sinzar are all going to be stripped bare and bone dry, Proxima III is already claimed independence and will welcome any assistance the Alliance might offer. Anyone in any of those places will be less loyal to Clark's regime or the rule of his absentee forces. Granted he can't help but keep some of the loyal minions in that area but everyone that has any command ability and is trusted will be here. If the ships you have in Narn Space were to head here and here," he touched areas of the map, "they could cut off any escape route Clark's forces have planned for as a contingency. Besides a majority of your forces are too far away to be of any use in the battle or shortly after."

They were all looking at the display and Xander hit a few keys, "If you sent the ships here on the other side of Beta 4, to Sinzar, and the ships in the Coriana system into Beta 9 to set up some help for Proxima III it would… I mean you have this neutral zone here that borders the Markar territory. I don't believe they've caused any trouble for the Alliance so far. The ships in that area won't reach us or be of any help. We can make sure Clark has no control over Beta 9, Proxima, and then Vega, while the ships in the Centauri-Minbari neutral territory can take Sinzar."

"The Minbari are sending a few ships thru Beta 4 to help, Delenn is there now but the ships she's bringing…" he glanced at the emperor, "They're faster than their other ships."

He was careful to word that so that he wasn't giving offense. Minbari and Centauri were neck in neck in most of their technology.

"Really, that is good to hear. I think that Xander is right; we can take these sites and police them… I believe you call it. We will claim that EarthForce has proven to be hostile by attacking a neutral territory bordering both sides of our Alliance. Is G'Kar here? It would be better if he spoke with his people concerning the plan of action."

"Yes, he's on his way now."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

G'Kar was on his way to the briefing room. The only reason he'd not been there to begin with was he had better things to do with his time. He knew he was not a tactical genius of any sort and there were things he could do outside the meeting to help prepare Babylon 5 for Independence. If the Emperor hadn't been dealing with this directly he no doubt would have needed to be there to counter balance the alliance with Mollari as both he and Mollari were ambassadors, but that wasn't the case. He was a fair hand at politics but he liked to see himself as a pragmatist. It was why he learned to trust those that could do what he could not.

While G'Kar was on his way to the briefing room, Susan Ivanova was suiting up with the other Starfury complements. She's set up the Irises already, "Now listen up, these irises are one of a kind advanced technology that only a select few can recreate when you use them don't hit the sides."

The other side of the Iris was Narn.

"The Starfuries on the other side of the Iris will be coming here. You may notice a bump as you enter the iris, don't enter it too fast but don't take your time either. The other side and the other Iris will have plenty of people to help out. Let them do their job and play nice. They are also our relief if this battle is prolonged for too long. General Hague's men are well trained, but they are not completely familiar with our systems so only take them up on the relief if you really need it. The lives of Babylon 5 depend on you. In fact if you have the room, invite the relief in for a ten minutes to make sure he or she knows their way around the station systems before you take a rest."

There were murmurs and few relieved looks.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Hague nods, "The Starfuries will be the driving force behind the defense until the Alliance arrives. G'Kar will the people there do as we ask, this is a bit outside our agreement?"

"I believe they will, we have been preparing for this for some time, General. Your presence on Narn is not that secret nor is the reason for it. They are willing to stand against the allies of the Shadows."

William winced at that, it was after all his people that they were talking about.

"Just make sure they know that not all humans are with Clark."

G'Kar turned to the others, "Will the Starfuries be enough; the casualties will be high."

John winced, "It can't be helped at least with the irises in place we can load new Starfuries in but you are right we will be taking casualties."

William nods, "My men on Narn and the men in Blasedale are ready to replenish any numbers and provide any relief or assistance you call for. Many lack actual experience when it comes to flying Starfuries in live fire be it actual combat or space exercises. I know the simulators they set up will help but they aren't perfect."

"I've made two chips, and all the new Starfuries are outfitted with new IFF signals that are keyed into it. You should be able to ensure that there are no friendly fire accidents from Alliance Ships. Delenn already has them."

"The Joyce is ready to take any wounded overflow you have, we have the sarcophagus for those that will loose a limb or die, even if they have died so long as the brain is intact and it was within a few hours."

"Thank you Xander. I think we're done for now."

"Not quite… you will need to make an announcement when the time is near, Giles has highlighted a few points that you might be able to hit to diminish Clark's credibility, at least in the eyes of the soldiers both here and, well I reckon you could record it and replay it on automatic. The first time won't be quite so… I presume you could use the tech we used with Michael to project it to every common area and every area that holds more then two people. We can also make sure it's relayed in at least sound format to any isolated people that are ones or twos."

"Thank you Xander, I had plans but those sound a bit more thought out." He read the list and half smiled, "I think this covers a few things I hadn't thought of."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"Alright everyone listen up, Commander Ivanova and I have prepared a response to the unconstitutional actions recently taken against us and Mars Colony by President Clark."

'_**Xander is the holographic system online?'**_

'_**Just tell me when, it will scan you and you're up. We'll handle everything else.'**_

'_**Now is good.'**_

The Captain glowed for a moment shocking several people, "May I have your attention please?"

The image of the captain was seen on every deck, every person heard his voice on Babylon 5 except the two deaf children in the brown sector that not even security were aware of.

"We are announcing that warships have been sent here by Earth. Their orders are to seize control of Babylon 5 by force. As commanding officer and military governor, hell as someone with a conscious I can not allow this to happen. President Clark has violated the Earth Alliance Constitution by dissolving the Senate, declaring martial law in areas he has no legal right to, and personally ordering the targeting of civilian targets on Mars Colony."

John took a breath his face took on a look of personal rage at the event, "He is personally responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocent civilians. He has ordered attacks on civilians more than once, and then tried to have the honorable members of EarthForce murdered when they refused to obey the unlawful order. Following these attacks Proxima III and Orion VII have broken away from Earth Alliance and declared their independence. Babylon 5 now joins with them. As of this date, April 13, 2260, Babylon 5 is seceding from Earth Alliance. We will remain an Independent State until such time as President Clark is removed from office."

This time when he took his breath his face took on a look of extreme disappointment that was quickly removed, but it was long enough to show even the densest watcher that he was disappointed but wasn't letting it cloud his reasoning. "At the end of this crisis, if anyone wishes to leave for Earth they are free to do so. Meanwhile for your own safety unless you are badly hurt, please stay inside your quarters."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The first of the ships arrived in Babylon 5 Space were clustered together. They targeted Babylon 5 and fired without the delay that it would take to send a tachyon communications pulse much less waiting to receive a reply. If the defense grid hadn't been ready for such a vicious tactic it would have disabled some of the Babylon 5 defenses. It wouldn't have been a show of incompetence, but it would definitely appeared that way to anyone presenting the evidence of incompetence on the part of Babylon 5's command staff to the public.

The active group of Starfuries fires their first volley and hit their targets. These ships firing so quickly erased any doubt witnesses may have entertained. There had been some unknowing lingering doubts that they could be wrong. Now they didn't, and the moral authority of Babylon 5 command staff was at an all time high.

The shots let loose at Babylon 5 were easily handled by the stations Point Defense Systems which nicely eliminated the danger. The hostile incoming were eliminated before they could launch a second volley. Though there were a few that were able to fire again before they were destroyed it wasn't a targeted barrage of fire and easily dealt with.

To the last enemy destroyed the action took merely fifteen minutes to finish.

"Babylon Control this is Ivanova, Delta Squadron just took out the last of them but the jammers we set up. There was at least three minutes that there were no jammers and I doubt it took that long to relay our tactical readiness. I doubt the next wave will be so easily dealt with."

"This is Sheridan, do your best Susan, I would have preferred you up here."

There was some amusement in her tone, "I know Captain, but I can't ask those under my command to do something I'm not willing to do myself."

Wryly he answers, "Commander, I don't think anyone would ever think you were unwilling to pilot a Starfury."

There was silence. With the numbers obviously going to stack up John wanted her on the bridge of Babylon 5 not in the hot seat of a jumped up fighter jet made for space.

"I would have asked regardless Captain, one of us needed to be out here and you can't afford to join in the fun."

He smirks at the humor in her tone; it was a teasing mock humor tone. The seriousness of the situation was anything but funny.

"How bad was it on our end so far?"

"Not bad, we lost two Deltas, 12 and 9 to enemy fire; they were somewhat new… young too."

"We're going to loose a lot more before this is over."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"Attention Zeta, Delta, and Gamma Ones, this is Ivanova, form up your squadrons and fan-out. Be ready to lay down some suppressing fire the moment you see either a ship or a jumpgate window. We can expect some to come from the gate, but don't take that for granted be ready for anything."

"Alpha 1 this is Zeta 1, is the plan to shoot and scatter or are we going to stay and fight?"

"The plan is to shoot and scatter! We need experienced eyes for spotters and you have the skills for this! There are plenty of Starfuries to follow up but they are not nearly as experienced with scouting as you are. You know your job! Keep your weapons hot and be ready for anything!" That seemed to be the words of the day, 'Be ready for anything!'

It was almost an hour later that Lieutenant Corwin's voice sounded, they'd not seen hide or hair of anything. "They're using the jumpgate; here they come!"

"This is Captain Dexter Smith of the Earth alliance Destroyer Agrippa to Babylon 5 and renegade ships. You are ordered to surrender and prepare to…"

The destroyer was often the ship that you could beat the hell out of, but the ship wasn't even all the way thru the jumpgate when twelve squadrons that were on standby fired. Ivanova winced at the impacts in the distance. They were eyes for sneak attacks and would take up the fight at the jumpgate if it was necessary. The others just…

She spotted a jump portal opening and fired into it along with several dozen other ships before fleeing the area to another area, "Narnia Lead, we have other jump points, take the one at seven to Babylon 5's port side."

"Narnia 3 here, Narnia 1 was taken out I'm in command. We have 6 on it now, Narnia 3 out." She could hear him in her mind, telling his squadron to form up on his wing as the new leader.

As she went about her own work she couldn't help but smile at the name Narnia, a human children's story that one of those staying on Narn shared with one of the Narn and it was quickly picking up in popularity there. She still wasn't sure where the name Katana came from, but the group from the Blasedale camp had named their group that. They just added numbers for their new position in the squadron.

This time the fighting took a bit longer. Agrippa had been half destroyed but the Clark's Town was evading fire very well.

Eventually the Clark's Town withdrew and the Starfuries didn't give chase.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Waiting, boredom, and prolonged anticipation are the worst forms of torture to experience when waiting for a battle to come. Because of this Ivanova set up a rotation policy for this particular mission which stated that the longest stretch of time in space was to be three hours unless circumstances dictate otherwise. It was a way to ensure her spotters were fresh and ready rather than asleep in space. Unfortunately, in her mind at least, that meant she had to also take a break which was cut short with the next wave of attack ships sent by President Clark.

The first sign of action for this wave was the Clark's Town returning. She wasn't alone.

Ivanova was in the C'nC and heard the report from Lieutenant Corwin. She turned and read as he finished his report, "They have Roanoke and over a dozen smaller ships. Gunships and it looks like an EAS Troop Transport."

Susan hit the commutations patch and orders, "Scramble all available Starfuries, just keep them coming!"

John nodded to her and she left quickly.

"Our estimates were a bit under what's here. We didn't even know about they had the breaching pods yet, Sheridan to Garibaldi!"

The Chief's voice answers, "Garibaldi here!"

"We're going to have those breaches we talked about and dismissed, you think you can have your team ready?"

"We already are, we've scattered security all over the areas that could be breached and all of us have skinsuits that fit courtesy of Xander."

The general technology exchange had not been close to even, however there were technologies neither Xander's group nor the Centauries, nor Babylon 5's people ever thought to use in the way they were using them. Nothing shared would have constituted a breach of security, in fact there was very little in the way of actual physical materials transferred at first, a few food replicators here and a communications array there, and a side of a big batch of Zats or a Starfury, then finally the truckload of skinsuits and hand full of commpatches and PPGs.

"Good, I don't want them to take Babylon 5 without a fight."

"We'll give them hell Captain!"

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander was out in the yard of LeVelle Manor he had several tripods set-up with recording cameras on them. They were hooked up to a central computer and he had a radio link.

"Are you ready, too, Giles?" he said over a familiar looking communication patch. He could have used the mental communication but not everyone knew of them and he had a feeling that they would eventually need to be seen communicating rather than just doing it mentally. It was the look of surprised on the Benjamin and Michael Mayhew's faces that clued him in to the abnormality of it. To those two it was just a peculiarity and no trace of fear but to others it could easily spiral into something it wasn't.

"Yes Xander Dawn is ready, as is Everett. Is Egeria ready there?"

"Yes and the sarcophagus. Dawnie, Buffy, Cordy, and Willow are all helping too. Even Eric is making sure that the food Joyce has is spread out so anyone can grab some food while here."

"Where are Angel and Kendra? Are any of the Sunnydale group there?"

"Angel and Kendra are on Babylon 5 working with Michael, he said he needed all the help he could muster and Angel already started working for him. Kendra is just on loan. In battle she understands the humans attacking are working with the demonic shadows but doesn't feel just handling criminals would be… acceptable to her inner slayer."

"Quite right, killing a human is frowned upon by the Council for magical reasons. As you recall her reaction to killing the hunter in Sunnydale before we left. When they do it intentionally or don't deal with it consciously they can spiral out of control. I believe she is right in that just apprehending a hooligan might cause her untold issues. Soldiers of demonic forces that happen to be human or other races should be enough."

"The battle looks like it's started in earnest Giles. I'm sending you the information thru _The Joyce_ to record it and let the computers analyze it. The sensors we set up are working well; you should have real time imagery as well as sensor logs. Egeria reconfigured the Goa'uld sensors to pick up tachyons as communication so we'll see them communicating too."

"Xander did you send out any scouts?"

"No, they can't relay anything to the electronic equipment… I suppose I can send out a few kinetic force drones, maybe as put a high yield explosive into the bombers and send that out."

Egeria offers an idea, "I can set up a modified Ma'Tok weapon on a tripod and set up a targeting system to the computers, you could aim it and fire; we don't have the program to put into it to do it automatically."

Xander nodded, "Thanks Egeria."

Xander went about setting up the VPs next to the recording cameras.

"I've set up the VPs and half filled the bomber with C4 and wired the detonator to be impact set. The moment I run into something it should give off an explosion worth about a ton of TNT. We'll see if we can contribute remotely in this battle."

He set the bomber on its way, "The target is the Roanoke. The Roanoke is an Omega Class Destroyer, which means we have over a thousand meters that we can aim at. I think disabling the weapons is a good primary goal, but we can't hit them directly I doubt our explosives would do much damage that couldn't quickly be repaired. They have four fusion reactors I'll target one of the two on the starboard side."

It took about ten minutes to get the bomber there and the impact was… substantial. Seeing the image on the recorder was enough to know that that the impact was a success.

Excited at the 'boom' he announces, "Alright! I'm sending another bomber."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Franklin was quite happy at the moment to have the Iris to send his critically wounded troops to. The station had taken a few hits and the breaches had been a nightmare. Garibaldi had sent quite a few men his way. An idea from Angel had been to put a bright pink band around the wrist or neck of any enemy soldiers and that had worked beautifully. If he hadn't there would be a major problem telling friend from foe. Granted Steven Franklin wasn't about to let that determine his treatment of the enemy soldiers but he wasn't about to send them to _The Joyce _or the LeVelle Manor if they were the enemy. If they died after he did everything he could than they died. He wasn't going to risk the safety of his friends and family for them to use means unrealized by Earth Alliance to heal them.

Dr. Franklin shook his head at the splitting-hairs cognitive reasoning. He would allow them to die regardless. It was something that went against the grain.

"Nurse we need to send this one to the manor. This beyond anything we can do here."

"Right away doctor!" The nursing staff was aware of the technology that they didn't have here and knew LeVelle Manor meant the patient was close to death. Their would be no hurry as the patient was alive still but still they rushed, there were other patients that needed treated right away.

More entered and Dr. Franklin started issuing triage orders and half of them went straight to the manor. The Iris for healed patents was near the security station so they could be reissued weapons or stay there for now. The cells were locked open and beds were to be taken.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Roanoke was dead in the black. Nimrod and Olympic both Omega Class Destroyers had been involved as well, one was utterly destroyed but the other was dead in the water along side Roanoke. Xander had sent seven bombers after the first success but only five of them hit their marks. Egeria's modified Ma'Tok, a large Goa'uld staff weapon, was used numerous times and as a result several Starfuries from the Nimrod and the Olympic took aim at the Manor.

The entire manor shakes just a bit with each impact. The wards weren't weakening but they did have to redirect some of their power to sustain their presence. After several impacts that were nearly synchronized in their impact gravity for about a half a second was completely absent before the ward edge glowed and the gravity was back to normal, the air was a bit thinner and some dirt was flowing away form the bottom and edge of the ward line but everything was righting itself and the next shots didn't even shake the manor.

Xander was unsure what happened and was quite relieved when it didn't happen again with the next few shots. When close to fifteen shots came at once, twice what had caused the problems it didn't even shake the manor. It was as thought the wards simply needed to learn what the shots were and how to deal with them.

"Any idea on how many casualties we suffered?"

"I'm not sure, but I know that we used the sarcophagus fifty two times with patients that would have died even with treatment by the hand device. There were five that I put in anyway because they were so badly burned that it would have taken me an hour to heal them."

"It was bad, Giles, how many patients did you have?"

"Aside from the dozen we sent you; Dawn and Everett fixed up close to a hundred, she has the exact numbers. Most she sent back on stretchers to sleep it off."

"I think the fighting is over, I'm using the scouts to check the area for survivors."

"I'll use the scanners going from the north side."

North side or sun side was easy to interpret and he nodded he would start with the south.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Ivanova sighed with relief as she heard the mental voices of Xander and Talia. In the heat of the battle she'd completely forgotten that she could send mentally. She wouldn't do that again. She'd been stuck in the damaged life pod for three hours floating in space away from the station. She wasn't certain she would ever be found and she was positive she had a concussion which was why she was trying to stay awake.

Susan sends out, _**'I'm here Talia, Xander. I'm in a pod heading away from Epsilon III.'**_

Xander's mental voice was crisp with concentration, _**'There, I found you; you're heading away from the sun correct?'**_

'_**Yes Xander. Is the battle over, it looks like it has been for a while?'**_

It was Talia Winters who answers and there was some amusement in her voice, _**'For a while, we were worried about you, I gather that in the heat of the battle the majority of the staff forgot they could use the thought collars to communicate.'**_

Xander defends her with obvious amusement, _**'I suspect that will be the case for most of the soldiers or military trained personnel, Talia. They've drilled in the art of calm focused thought when in fight or flight mode and aren't as unconventional when it comes to tactics as the Scooby Gang is.'**_

Susan winces in the confines of her pod, _**'He's right; it is sometimes difficult to think outside the box. Those that do, like John normally tries, are very good tacticians and military leaders.'**_

Xander adds a bit of insult to injury, _**'And any good officer will also constantly question the morality and legality of their orders; which is why Clark will soon find himself with shoddy tactical support from his people. If anything he will begin to rely on the shadows a bit more after this.'**_

Susan's eyes widen as she realizes he's right, _**'Damn, I didn't think of that.'**_

Xander winced as he thought it was a given but if Susan didn't realize it there was a strong probability that Sheridan didn't either, _**'I'll make sure that John is aware of it for the briefing and you should see one of my scout right outside about… now.'**_

Susan's mental voice is frigid, _**'Xander… Are you going to rescue me with a wooden modal of a C130?'**_

The incredulity of Susan's tone had Talia giggling mentally, an odd mental send, _**'He can rescue you however he pleased so long as you are in our bed tonight.'**_

Xander's mental send is scared and firm at Susan, _**'She was mentally speaking of you and her, not me!'**_

Susan who couldn't help but laugh and than groan in pain from her concussion, _**'Don't make me laugh; I think I have a concussion.'**_

'_**Egeria will heal you up and than send you back to Babylon 5.'**_

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander sat down on the couch, his eyes held a bit of moisture. They'd lost so many soldiers in the Battle for Babylon 5's Independence. The Minbari had sent seven ships to help which had encouraged the final wave into backing off. The Centauri and Narn Alliance had lost a large ship and several of their fighters but were in good spirits. The cost was high. Over seven hundred fighters were lost even if over fifty pilots were recovered from in pods in space after their ships were destroyed.

Xander sighs, "We need to find a way to prevent future loss of life of our pilots, any ideas?"

Egeria shrugs, "I'm not sure, the Goa'uld didn't invest in ways to save their Jaffa individually so I would assume that is where you must start."

Xander nodded, "A punch out, the irises are too hard to open quickly and many are shot by surprise. I wonder if Hammond or Hammond would have any ideas."

Willow shrugs, "Ask them, they aren't far away and both would welcome you. You might want to consider magic too, I'm not sure if technology would help."

"Maybe… but Asgardian tech might."

He stood and before he left he was set upon by Cordelia, "It isn't your fault and you're doing the best anyone could." She kissed him soundly and pulled back.

Buffy was there and he couldn't tell which one it was, "You can't save everyone all the time."

The kiss was soft and Buffy in the corner giggled.

Xander looked and she was with Angel so that meant this was the Buffy that was with Riley until he was married and was slipping in to slip him the tongue.

She sighed when she let go and Dawn was next, she hugged him and then whispered, "If it wasn't for the sarcophagus several of the people I worked on would have died, not because of the severity of their injuries but because I messed up on the doctoring part. Do what you can, but know that it's above and beyond what they would have had without you!"

Xander was feeling much better as he left. He decided to speak with General Hammond first.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander entered the office and General George Hammond of the EDC looked up. Seeing who it was he stood and held out his hand.

"Ah General," Xander took the hand, "thank you for seeing me on short notice. I know you have to be busy here."

"I am but I can always make time to see you or your people. Allen tells me you just went thru a fight back home?"

Xander nods, "There's a president of Earth that fancies himself something of a dictator, disbanded the congress and senate and set up an SS style servicemen called Nightwatch, that doesn't even hit on the fact that he was voted in as vice president and the president was murdered while the good vice president had the blue flu."

"Blue flu, you mean he wasn't really sick?"

Xander smiled and nodded as the general quickly knew exactly what occurred.

Xander sat and sighs, "What I was really interested in is if you've worked on any ways to have some sort of auto eject for your space pilots in dogfights. Something that tells them they're about to be killed or damaged beyond repair and ejects them."

George frowned for a moment, "No I can't say we have. We really should have thought of it before now."

Xander's shoulders slumped, he'd hoped someone had come up with some ideas already but it didn't seem to be the case.

"Until recently it wouldn't have helped because we didn't have a way to move people quickly enough to really mater. Even now we are limited, we know the Asgard have beaming technology but the closest we have is the breakdown of the ring transporters, the irises of yours, and stargates. We don't have those portkey things you talked about but even then they seemed to be independently activated. Nothing that I know of so far can integrate with the current systems on the ships without major refits."

"So what we need is something independent." Thinking that the way he described portkeys as independent might be the way to go but using them in space was headache and half, he would have talk to Albus or Sirius about it.

George nodded, "I'm not the expert in Research and Development, why don't we take a walk and talk to them now?"

Xander nods and the both stand, Xander continues to talk to George while they head out and towards the R'nD.

"I've thought of just giving every pilot an iris, but it takes too long to open and there isn't the room for the average sized pilot in the one or two-seaters. That doesn't even hit on the work involved in making a single pair for so many pilots and the risk each one of those pilots represent if just one of them is captured or killed and the iris found."

"It would be quite bad; I thought you had something to make them unnoticed now."

"The notice-me-not isn't likely to stand up to close scrutiny for prolonged periods of time and after a single battle I suspect that they would know something was amiss. No I would dearly love to have them all have irises like that but it just isn't feasible."

George nodded and added, "That doesn't even cover the fact that they leave behind the iris when… unless you destroy each one."

"I do have a self destruct for them. It's just not all the pilots are aware of the uniqueness of the irises. Don't get me wrong plenty of people have seen them and know they move you from point A to B but that doesn't mean they have any remote understanding of how they work or that they were man made, by that I mean human made. Most just think its old technology from another race and I'm not in a hurry to disabuse them of that notion."

George laughs, "I see, usually older technology from other races is something we try to make people not believe for security."

Xander smirks and nods, "That I can understand here."

"Any system we set up will need the kinks worked out; we'll need to test it."

Xander nods, "I have no idea if it's even workable right now."

"Our Research people have been in something of a boom since we started moving their families up here. The EDC High…" Xander and George shared a smile at that name, "is going to end up feeding our research department I fear. Some of the soldiers' kids are quite interested in helping out where they can and end up going into the research department as the only safe location they can. It isn't like their parents can take them to other planets with them."

Xander smiled almost wistfully, "It is good to have family around you; it reminds you what you fight for. I know that if I didn't have my chosen family… I'd be long dead by now."

"Attention on deck!" The general almost jumped, but didn't quite glare at the fourteen year old girl that had just shouted that. Xander instantly saw the resemblance to that cook he'd seen before.

"Xander this girl is Sarah Ryback. Sarah, you don't need to do that as there are no soldiers down here, normally."

She gave him a slight smile and Xander could hear the thoughts, _**'But uncle Casey says it will keep you on your toes and I enjoy making you jump.'**_

Xander couldn't help but smile at her spunk.

"Miss Ryback, a pleasure." He took her hand and kissed the back of it in proper Grayson fashion.

George rolled his eyes. The young man didn't need to add to his harem.

"We're here to talk to Dr. Lee."

A rather young looking man asks, "What can I help you with General?"

George lifted an eyebrow, "I take it you took advantage of the Dargol Serum?"

Bill Lee smiled widely and nodded, "I haven't had this much energy in decades, I've taken up morning PT with a few of the other teams and this time I'm going to do my best to stay fit." He rubbed his belly area with a grin that said he'd have to work hard to keep the belly away.

"I see." He nods approvingly, "Xander came to me with an idea for a problem we'd not even given any thought to. We need a way to monitor and remove pilots from damaged crafts, something that will keep them safe when the craft is destroyed."

"I see, we all heard about the battle you were facing. It would put a strain on an Asgard processor to keep watch on everything, and it would need the Asgard beaming tech to remove them from the craft like that. We don't really have the means to do it now. I can write up what would be needed, we can brainstorm it out and make sure you have an essay on it."

"Did you really help Babylon 5 fight for independence?"

Xander half turned and lifted an eyebrow.

"Yes, but not that much. It was mostly them."

"Wow!" a red haired young man said with a look of a fan boy in his eyes.

The blond with him wasn't much better.

Gesturing to the three others in the room Bill Lee introduced them, "Meet Adam Brody, Cameron John Balinsky, and Jennifer Hailey."

"Cameron John, that's CJ for short. Most people just call me John."

"Just call me Hailey, I'm use to it."

"Young Jennifer just arrived yesterday, she was a cadet at the Air Force Academy and she may go ahead and attend next term after things cool down there. She is still a prodigy when it comes to wormhole physics and close to it with any deductive reasoning."

She had a slightly hostile look on her face and shrugged.

George smiled; he could tell she was one of Sam's personal picks.

"I'm glad you can come up with something. You know how to send it thru the Iris?"

Jennifer nodded, "Of course sir."

Xander could tell she was holding of a retort because he was a general. He smirked at her just a bit. He wondered what they thought of Babylon 5 he had this sinking feeling that he was missing something and it wasn't currently at the forefront of their minds, but they did seem to know more about Babylon 5 than he thought they would.

"I'm heading to see Albus next, but I can't see as that will be able to be tied into any systems so I'm not sure what he can do but than I'm not use to his way of doing things."

A voice from behind him asks, "Albus?"

It was Sarah Ryback.

"Yes, I believe he has a few books and essays used as references in your database."

He was struck again by a sense of familiarity with the name coming from Sarah. The others not so much but curious still the same.

Xander didn't stay long before he left thru the Iris.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander approaches Albus's office. It was within the last few weeks of school for Hogwarts, the last few weeks Harry and most of the other students that were so often in the Manor.

From the other side of the door Albus calls out, "Enter Xander."

"Hey Albus, how are things?"

"Paperwork is always the same, muggle, magical, alien, even different dimensions from what little I've seen of Mr. Doyle, there's too much of it."

Xander laughs, "You want to take a break for a while?"

"I'm inclined to; would you care for a lemon drop before we take a walk, perhaps a hot coco?"

Xander realized he'd arrived in the middle of the night and smirked just a bit.

"I'll take the chocolate, keep the lemon drops."

"They will sharpen the tastes buds and you'll enjoy the chocolate a bit more…" he offers with a friendly teasing.

Xander grins as they head out for a midnight stroll.

"Babylon 5 recently suffered quite a few casualties from a space battle most everyone that was only wounded was saved and healed up but we lost over a hundred men, pilots that weren't able to be saved. What I'm looking into is some way of helping them survive if it happens again. Something to remove them from the dangerous situation, if they could move the ship that would be even more a bonus but…"

Albus nodded, "If it was a fighter plane I would say we use a portkey and move them so their over a field with a very good cushioning charm on it. It would be easily able to be keyed to a warded necklace or something similar. It would just move them moments before their death or moments before a nearly fatal injury could occur."

"That is exactly what I was talking about, why won't a portkey work?"

"Normally a portkey will work with geometric locations."

"But Sirius set some up for cells if we needed down below them during the summit. I can't see that working too well over great distances in space though."

"He most likely did a variation of the portkey spell, let me see…" he did the spell on a lemon drop and then cast another on it. The lemon drop lit up a bit and then larger and he nodded.

"What is it?"

"The way you work the runes into the watches for verbal communication…"

"Radio yea I know what you mean."

"Well if we can attach the portkey charm to the watches then the magic the watch uses to connect to on the other side of the iris would make it very simple for them to transport there. If you add a ward stone to the watch iris it would make it very easy to ensure the wards are done properly. The wards are actually a style of layering charms. It would be easy enough to charm an entire pile of ward stones before adding them to the watches."

"Genius, but where will they go, I mean can you just make it so they port thru the watch to a general area?"

"Are you ready to make up that room you'd planned on, SPEAR I believe you called it?"

Xander's eyes light up and he nods.

"As the area is open I would need to set the receiving area in relative location to the location of the irises that are not the mobile watches. You could move the irises in theory, but there is so much depending on a specific location that it would be unwise to tamper with the variables."

"I'll start making as many watch irises as I can; they're small, so I'll be able to make a good amount of the base watch and iris that will just need to be powered up." He mentally thought of adding runes for tracking locations as well just in case one goes missing and is smuggled out of Babylon 5 Space, or Sol System for the Hammonds.

Albus nods, "I think Minerva and I will be taking you up on your offer of the Dargol Treatment this summer. I'm not sure when but I think she's looking foreword to it."

Xander grins and nods. "There are a few others I know that are going to be taking it in about four months, around Christmas time for Grayson."

It had been months since he'd offered it to Protector Benjamin Mayhew. They'd planned for two weeks but pushed it off time and time again due to the logistics of the important people vanishing for at least a month.

With the idea set Xander finished his coco and left. Albus was quite pleased to help the young lad.

Xander made his way to the iris and back to LeVelle Manor before he went to bed. He couldn't help but smile at his wives; he wondered what the general's research people would think of system he was planning to employ. There was no doubt in his mind that he would make sure there was enough for Babylon 5, Babylon 4, and the EDC.

After learning about the ECF issues with time travel, Xander had visited the former commander of Babylon 5. Jeff had already utilized the resources from the future and salvaged a number of extinct animals and plants. Xander didn't have much work involved in that but with the last battle he couldn't help cringing at the thought of so many Minbari dying on fighters like that. He just wondered where he could put them all. He couldn't exactly return anyone to their command due to the security risk but perhaps sending them to Minbar would infuse a new fervor into the Minbari.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4


	16. Chapter 16: Clean-up & Expansion

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

Beta'd by cj_cold

Chapter 16: Clean-up & Expansion

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

It was Saturday June 20, 1998 in the local realm and Harry's class that had graduated the day before. With Hogwarts out for the year Albus was stuck dealing with the end of year financials, and oh how he hated paperwork.

Xander LeVelle knocks on the door to the headmaster's office, "Albus, you in?"

"Yes, come in Xander."

He enters the office smiling at the paintings, "Albus, I was thinking…"

"Yes Xander?" he looked up welcoming a break from his work.

"Well I was hoping that the SPEAR could be something different, maybe an Ops Receiving Center or something. Anyway I was hoping it could be done on a planet in this realm that's inhabitable so we can travel to it from the other places without worry over distance."

He lifted an eyebrow in thought, "Intriguing. You wish to have more than just this ORC built there. What is the closest planet to Earth and how would you check to see if it was inhabitable and how would you get there? We aren't in a big rush so…"

"We do need to hurry. I mean the irises for several thousand have already been made, the portkey magic keyed and ready to install into a uniform and we even have the different uniforms for Babylon 5 and EDC personnel made up, but producing them on masse is another mater. I can use the tri-iris to clone them but doing it one at a time is more tedious than…"

Albus nods gesturing to the paperwork.

"Yea I have my fill of it as well. But even then I would rather send thru a few hundred skinsuit uniforms that are of a variety of sizes a few dozen times then having to suffer a lesser quality product because the uniforms we've made aren't up to snuff for what we want. Besides the tri-iris is being used about four hours a day to replicate several materials they need already, but we still need a manufacturing base and to give people jobs to do. I'd prefer to use the Tri-iris to make sure that we have an abundance of what we need not to supply the entirety of it."

"You already have people in mind to run the base, manufacturing facility, and need to place them away from someplace that can be scrutinized both by them and by the locals."

Xander nodded, "We have plenty of people that need something to do to feel as though they are contributing. I'll make sure that we are able to supply enough, but we still need a starting base and I'm also leery of diminishing returns of copying the same copy over and over and then the copy of the copy and so forth. I'm not sure we'd have to worry about it too much but we still don't know the exact limits of the tri-iris."

"And you have the technology to start a manufacturing facility on the level that is needed to fit a military force?"

"Egeria has ready to set up a number of Goa'uld nanolaths which are easily programmed and guided for quality fabrication with even the most unskilled of laborers operating them. The Goa'uld weren't known for picking the smartest Jaffa for menial tasks."

"I understand; how do you plan to travel there?"

"I'll just make a very large iris and fly Catherine's scout ship into this realm then out into space."

"You had better make it two pairs, one to take with you and one to leave here. That way you won't be tracked coming back and you can leave with the ship if you so desire from the planet you selected."

"I better set to work then. I'll need to find a place to launch from, maybe add a rune to not be noticed on the ship's nose…"

Albus laughs.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander finished two pairs of irises that would fit around the Skydancer easily enough, he put a ring of leather around the nose rather than on the ship, he didn't want to loose sight of where the ship was after he landed and a ring of leather could be removed or burned off or slipped off in space. At the last minute he added a self destruct rune that would only allow the leather to last six hours and then launched into space.

Xander was out of the Sol system in record time, at least for him.

"Xander" his watch buzzes, "What are you up to, I was expecting you back an hour or so ago?"

"Oh, sorry Cordy, give the girls my love will you. I'm on the Skydancer and flying towards Abydos from Hogwarts Earth. If it all works out right I'll have a dome of really thick glass to set up as a processing station for any incoming pilots or soldiers we'd lose."

"Oh, alright, when you get there send me a message or buzz me on this watch, you can take a break and we'll celebrate. Then we can come help you there, Hogwarts has let out and I'm sure that they wouldn't mind helping and magical aid might come in handy."

He nods, "Right, good idea love."

There was a sigh on the other side of the watch then a sniffle, "I guess I'll go tease Willow and Dawn into letting me join them for the next several hours. I'm rather horny as hell right now. I mean I'm dripping…"

He hisses, "God Cordy!" Then he whines, "Don't do that to me. It's already going to be a long flight and having a raging hard-on the entire way there isn't healthy!"

Cordy was giggling, "I guess you'll have reason to punish me?"

Xander made a mental note to make sure his girls were informed when he was going to be gone for a while.

"I'll leave you to it, but if you find a nice stable orbit to set her in you come home early and I'll help relieve your tension then you can get back on the flight plan."

He realized she's picked up on his thoughts and figured he'd paid enough, he should have known her gift for telepathy had really became more directed into certain areas of intent and methods, "Right."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

It had only been just over two weeks since Babylon 5 violently declared its independence. The Centauri Narn Alliance had liberated several planets along the neutral zone that was formerly Earth Alliance territory. Xander's advice to the Emperor and G'Kar had paid off in spades and diminished Clark's territory something fierce. That didn't mean the Shadows wouldn't pull another play.

The skinsuit uniforms were something that had spiraled out of control from the escape hatch idea Xander first came up with. It was actually a need he saw and then an idea, followed by some sound facts and then it took on a life of its own before Cordy was working on a skinsuit to turn it into a uniform that held an iris portkey connected to another iris which would need to be enchanted for the room it was going to be permanently placed in.

The black skinsuit for Babylon 5 looked remarkably similar to what they were now wearing on Babylon 5. The hood seal would need to be put on manually but Xander was planning to put a few blood runes to make his close if he was ever in a vacuum. He'd already worked on Buckbeak's runes for him to fly out of the wards and actually get back in but it was a true work in progress. So far he was able to extend the wards around Buckbeak but he was literally pulled back in when he went to far. So far it was the best solution and he had added it to a few of the rune collars but put an intent base rune into the mix. Ironically the rune collars worked when they transformed into animals, even when they didn't work when they were normally transfigured as was demonstrated with scouts.

A Xander neared Abydos he considered parking and going to Cordy but felt that he needed to do this first. There was no human life on the planet, a few desert creatures here and there, and remnants of a long passed human population but it was quite limited. There was however quite a bit of Naquadah and a pyramid that was half destroyed from the inside out about five thousand years ago. The sand mostly covered it up.

He figured that if he hurried he could have four lots glassed and let them cool before he went home, it wouldn't hurt to do it before seeing Cordy and getting help.

He really shouldn't tempt fate, he found he could take control of the molten glass or sand as it was part of the fire. He spent several hours in the scorching heat forming four domes of solid glass. It was burned glass and it was quite thick, almost twelve feet thick at the thinnest and he ensured that there were no bubbles in it and that the impurities were burned out as it mixed.

As he opened the iris to the manor and stepped thru he collapsed just in time for Cordelia to see him.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander woke in bed and looked around confused, the last thing he could remember was on Abydos and then he groaned.

Dawn was there, "Yes, you are staying there for a week!"

"A week!" he didn't like that.

Reluctantly she agreed against a week, "No, but I'll make good on that threat if you ever push yourself like that again it isn't a mater of life and death. Harry and the others want to know how you made the domes but it can wait, you were magically exhausted, dehydrated, and suffering from heat stroke. Not a good combination."

He nodded reluctantly.

Xander's condition however was not something that was put off, over the next three days he was not alone once, even the bathroom seemed to have one of his girls there and it was both heartening and exasperating. It showed they cared a great deal, the love he felt emoting from them was something to be cherished; however there was also an underlying need to make sure he was safe which was caused by a lack of trust. Trust that Xander had broken when he pushed his limits without someone there or aware of it. He could have easily died on Abydos and there was no real reason for it to have occurred.

Xander knew the _punishment_ was not intentionally a punishment just a simple reaction and he began to understand the pain he caused because he didn't think and it wasn't the pain of so many dead in Babylon 5 Space, or that type of thing it was the pain of almost loosing him. If the issue wasn't so very real and close to the heart he might have vanished in a puff of smoke for the day due to the 'crowding' the girls were doing.

After about a week the girls were less pushy and needy about it, he could go take a shower without their worrying on if he was going to drop dead without them. Of course Cordy had added a few runes to his collar, runes he'd not thought to add which he added to the others too. When she told him he had to ask, "Health monitoring?"

"Health alerting should be more accurate, if at any point you are knocked unconscious we'll know, and we'll know where you are in relation to what we know, the runes are networked but maybe you should check them over and see if you get the idea and I'm missing anything. I sort of pieced them together from your rune log…"

Xander would have been exasperated at the mothering, but couldn't help being amused; he would have added it long ago if he'd only thought of it. He looked it over and it was easy to verify mentally that it worked, it also allowed for anyone in the closed network to check the health stats of another in the network, including to his amusement the levels of sexual arousal. He would hold off on telling them that until he had a chance to use it.

For some reason he couldn't help but think back to this last Easter for Hogwarts. They celebrated them at LeVelle Manor even though it was it was more than a month early, it would be until the first of April this year for Babylon 5. It was then that Mory, Turhan's wife, ended up having a baby implanted that they'd incubated before they took the Dargol Serum and Prolong. They weren't the only ones that were rejuvenated recently; several people from Grayson, such as Captain Hill and his three wives, and four of the others that Xander had personally worked with on Orbital Four were selected to participate in the rejuvenation process and Prolong.

Captain Hill and those that had clearance to know would be told, but it was something of a 'state secret'. The others all believed that they were just taking prolong and it was Dawn who did it for them rather than onboard the Prometheus. Xander hadn't even been a major part of it, evidently he wasn't the only one that spoke to Benjamin and Michael or their wives as this case had been. Unlike most places Grayson men didn't hide their work from their wives because it was classified. In fact this was one area that was a bit better for the lack of rights, as women didn't have certain rights they didn't have certain drawbacks either and often were considered an extension of their husband so there were no impediments.

"What are you thinking about Xander?" Dawnie asks with a smile.

She'd grown up so fast; she was also just about ready to share Xander's bed according to Willow. Cordy had agreed, but they were holding off for just a bit longer, if for no other reason than Joyce's sanity. That didn't mean the young phoenix wasn't one of the girls that felt intimately close to his heart. That she was never exposed to the Aspect of Demon the way the others were, but was still picking up thoughts of those in the group was a testament to that.

He smiles, "Just recalling the baby shower and friends of mine from Grayson."

"This last Easter?" she inquires thinking the only baby shower on Grayson she knew of was almost a year ago, not quite but close. In fact Rachael was born near the close of the year on Grayson.

"Yea, it was the last time Hogwarts let Harry and the gang go for any length of time and with them here now, and little DJ… it just…"

Dawnie giggles, "I wonder if he'll be really good at public speaking or a musician."

He frowns, "Because I call him DJ?"

"Not just you; Everyone is doing it, Davy the DJ Potter, whatever he becomes he won't have any trouble with public performance." She was grinning.

"How is Abydos coming along?" he finally asks.

Dawnie winces; another aspect of his punishment was that hardly anyone was telling him about the progress of the four domes. She sighs; it wasn't like they were doing on purpose or to consciously punish him so when he asked bluntly he was hoping for an answer. What he wasn't expecting was the blunt force of the pain he put them through by almost dieing of stupidity.

"It's doing well, most of the plans you had for uniform irises are nearing completion. It was quite a surprise however that you're runic lighting made the glass glow instead of the wood, it truly is quite beautiful. The four domes are connected as if one solid piece of glass and they all their veins light up and glow so it's not close to even lighting but it provides plenty. They set up things that needed more light where there was more light available. I think Egeria has already set up the irises, their waiting for you to add office domes of glass inside, the runic baseboards to soften the glass inside ORC are in but they want to have more space for out-connecting irises and they want to keep the building sealed save for vent holes. Did you make the pillars of glass on purpose?"

Xander shrugs, "I hadn't planned on that you realize. I didn't know I would be able to manipulate the glass as it was aflame and malleable. The pillars were pretty easy to form, the domes were difficult but making sure the glass was deep enough that they'd support even a Super Ha'tak landing on it and then making sure they couldn't land on it near the domes was what really took it out of me. I've never pushed my magic so much. Runes take so little magic from me that they'd never exhaust me and I'm just not well versed in spells enough to have any spells exhaust me. I never thought fire magic would exhaust me either but there you have it."

She nodded, "Cordy is still a bit mad at you, just so you know. But she really was taken with the beauty of the Four Domes. That's what they call it now, Four Domes."

He smiles, "How many people are there?"

"Harry's been practically living there, they set the base boards; the factory has all the equipment ready to start producing skinsuits, extra replicators, weapons, and equipment they need on Babylon 5. They've already upgraded the docking for Babylon 5 so the dock workers are less needed and their jobs are safer. Over four dozen dock workers have gone to Four Domes and are working on making things they think will help the station. We're keeping an eye on them and what they're doing but they were all screened by Talia. There are a half a dozen telepaths working along side them and it's really shocking to some of them how openly accepting the 'flat scans' are of them. There are a few dozen Narn there too but they're simply looking over how the entire thing is organized or not in some cases. Most of the restoration of Narn is completed, at least what can be done at the current time. There are some things that simply take time."

Xander looked her over with arousal, she sounded so mature and it added an air of sexuality to his perception of her which actually made her flush as she picked up on it.

"When am I going to be able to join you in bed?" She asked bluntly as she could.

Xander sent a message to Willow and Cordelia, _**'Help! Dawnie's asking when she can join me in bed; I don't know what to tell her!'**_

There was giggling in his head, even Dawn was giggling in his head now, ironically it was Dawn who told him, _**'Take her Xander. She's over sixteen and we've decided that fifteen is the age of majority for sex here, though that may depend on the individual. Dawnie has been ready for about two months we were just waiting for her to ask.'**_

Xander sighs with relief before realizing Dawnie was waiting for a verbal response.

"How about now?" he offers with a sexual smile slowly spreading across his face.

Dawnie widens her eyes and licks her lips. "God YES!" she was divested of clothing and next to where she was in a green pillar of fire, she'd flashed out of her cloths rather than strip. Xander would have laughed at the eagerness of her, but the only thing he could think of was, _**'Damn; I never thought of doing that!'**_

Dawnie was on him he realized a moment later they were on the bed and his clothing was exactly where he'd been standing a moment ago. He felt the heat from Dawnie as she kissed him then nibbled his neck. He felt the moist heat from her folds rubbing against him and felt the need in her mind. She needed him, there.

He pushed himself against her without penetrating and she moaned, he pushed her off him a bit and rolled so he was on top and then started to kiss her along neck, lowering to her breasts as his hands took care of her hot moist core. The orgasm she had was the first in over six months. A half of a year ago she's stopped masturbating until it was time and oh god did she need this.

Xander wasn't surprised by the orgasm so much as the intensity. He nibbles her breasts as small little tremors shake the young female in front of him. He lowers himself a bit more until he is face to folds and then licks her clean and sends her into another orgasm.

Xander smiles as this one wasn't quite as strong as the first release.

"Are you sure you're ready?" He asks softly his face now nears hers.

She growled and rolled him over and slammed herself over top and around his cock. There was no gentle teasing and she'd used a dildo to ensure she was ready nine months ago. Granted she was a bit tighter than if she'd continued but it would feel nearly as good now.

Xander groaned as she drove him to the point of ecstasy before stopping just before he was about to release. He looked up and she was grinning mischievously as she slowly rode him just slow enough to ensure the orgasm was out of reach.

Xander had enough he rolled her over and soon he was taking his release and she was giggling. She's already had five orgasms so she wasn't deprived of them; however the take charge Xander had been quite emotionally pleasing and every bit as physically pleasing as hers were when she was in control.

The door opened and Cordy, Dawn, Willow, and Kendra slipped in.

"You aren't done yet." Cordy announces as Xander had started to slow down, spent.

He gulped as the girls were now naked and Kendra was the first to latch on to his cock.

Willow was licking out Dawnie who was in a state of orgasmic bliss as she let another one go. Dawn was kissing Xander curious of how she and Dawnie were different in bed.

Cordy took over as Willow moved a bit, and Dawnie wasn't going to get any rest anytime soon.

"I think little Xander is ready to go again and as it is Dawnie's first time…"

Dawnie moaned as she was practically picked up and set ever so gently on top of Xander while his cock was held in position. However rather then be set down and put to handling her own lifting and lowering, Kendra, Willow, and Cordelia were holding her legs up so they had control over lifting her up and lowering her down. Dawn was down there with her mouth ensuring that Dawnie was getting no peace and Xander wasn't either.

It didn't take long before Dawnie gave another ear piercing scream signaling her orgasm and Xander grunted his release.

Dawn however was on him with her mouth sucking down every bit of his seed and ensuring his reload time was nil. When she was done she stuck her tongue into the sphincter there waiting and Dawnie screeched as she let go another orgasm at the rim job she was receiving. Dawn smirks as she loosens her up with her finger and then nods at the girls.

Dawnie is gently lowered around Xander's cock but this time it's in her asshole and twice as pleasurable.

The sex for Dawnie had been surprising in that it lasted for almost a full two days.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Four Domes was a mix of activity. Xander was thankful that he'd not simply started using the tri-iris to copy everything from the get go. They were still working on a method of turning out a large amount of items, but the best they could come up with was placing the Iris directly above one of its pairs while the other pair was off to the side and people ready to catch them. The next time they put it thru its paces they were planning on putting the second Iris in a space yard. The perpetual motion and a turning of the door could set them directly in line. The first time they did it however there was a bit of a crash because the irises were too close together; it ended up costing them a pair of Starfuries. They had plenty however so it wasn't that big of a deal. Luckily however they didn't damage the Irises

The glass spikes would help stop the worst of the sandstorms, but as an added bonus Hermione placed charms that would last hundreds of years, well she and Harry. They would divert any wind, sand, and such from the area of land if it was traveling at any great speed. The rest of the walls and such in the factory were made from ceramacrete.

The Irises were at the Four Domes Factory; however aside from the ORC Dome they had setup the other as an Ops Center. They would also be housing the medical center and sarcophagus in the Ops Center. Four Domes actually took up a square mile of desert which was surprising for Xander as he hadn't realized the domes were that big or the glass pillars spread that far. He'd done everything from the sand dune nearby so hadn't realized quite the scale of the work he'd done. While Four Domes was up and running Xander and the girls decided to use the Skydancer to check out Sunnydale's Abydos, and then maybe Blasedale's.

When they picked up the Skydancer Xander decided Dawnie was right, the light the base boards provided was a spectacular sight. It was like light was pushed from the glass. The lines of the glass, the natural dirty sand that formed it crated its own unique fingerprint and it looked from the inside as though it was lit up like gods fingerprint. The outside was lit up like a beacon at night, not just the dome but the pillars as well. Nobody would miss it from space, it was just that massive of a light and it carried well in the unpolluted atmosphere of Abydos.

Added irises would need to be made before they got there however as they only had two pairs that fit around the Skydancer. "Are you ready, this is going to be fun, but is the Skydancer large enough to handle us all?"

"With the added wedge and Goa'uld propulsion on her we don't need to rely on jump space and so we'll be fine."

"Alright… but what to do for fun I wonder?"

Xander grinned; Dawnie was a little nympho now that she'd had a taste of sex. The others were grinning as well they were simply relieved to have Xander with them. They all made plans for this as a family outing, one of them would periodically leave to deal with the routine business, but other than that this was a nice relaxing time with no stress and very needed after the violent battle for the independence of Babylon 5.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

LeVelle wasn't the only Xander to be exhausted senseless by sex, however Xander Harris had been that way since shortly after Riley's wedding. It was only recently that the local Buffy joined in the mix. So it was that when Xander LeVelle came in the Skydancer he was ready to pass out again from exhaustion.

He looks up, "Xander?"

"Hey Xander, just thought I'd let you know I and the girls are heading to check on Abydos and see if it matches up with the history of the other realms so far."

"Right, um how are you getting there, that ship looks familiar."

"You've been the manor this was in the yard so…"

"Actually I haven't spent much time at the manor during the last nine months and counting. How in the world do you ever keep up, I only have three, now four and its likely to kill me soon!"

Xander stares at his elder analogue for a moment then lifts an eyebrow. "Maybe you're just a bit out of shape; how often to you work out, what foods do you eat, and do you take your vitamins?"

Harris winces, "Right, I'll work on the foods and vitamins, but if I added a run to my workout with the girls I doubt I'd live a week."

Xander smirks and laughs. "You might try to see if the rune log I gave you has anything to help with stamina, I haven't needed it, but then again we talked about some of the differences in our verses, perhaps I'm just a tad more sexually in tune with the girls?"

He glared at LeVelle for a moment then huffs and nods. "Fine… Oh I know where I saw that ship at, or one like it, on TV."

Xander lifts an interested eyebrow, "TV?"

"A show called Babylon 5."

Xander froze and his breath caught, "A show called Babylon 5, are you teasing me?"

Xander looked confused at Xander and shook his head.

"Exactly where is the manor situated at right now Xander?"

Harris blinked, "Um I really don't know I never paid attention wait, didn't Riley mentioned showing Samantha Epsilon III… that's… You're on Babylon 5?!" his voice echoed and Xander LeVelle glared at him for a moment.

"You are being serious, I can feel it. There's a TV Show about my home and I'm only now finding out about it?!"

Xander winces and looks down like a kicked puppy.

"Tell me you have scripts, DVDs and a portable DVD player, and maybe a few synopses of episodes. Some pictures would be nice too."

Xander Harris looks up and slowly smiles nodding.

Suddenly the idea of sex on the way to Abydos wasn't such a priority. Xander Harris would be glared at by all LeVelle's wives for years to come, and his own girls would giggle when he asked why they were upset with him.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander checked in with the CEO George Hammond before he left as a common courtesy to let him know what he was doing. The girls however were a bit upset when he first came onto the ship with a box of DVDs, five seasons of Babylon 5. The only reason they didn't say anything negative or reactionary about it was because of Babylon 5 was on the cover of the box set and they now wanted to know what it was.

"Xander shared with me that our home is on DVD so I thought it was a bit more important than satisfying our carnal nature."

They all shared a look at his amusement. Xander however had his amusement curtailed as he watched his friends and the path they took before they arrived. He understood Kosh a bit better now, but some things he most assuredly disliked. He would have to find out for example if the Thirdspace was real and make plans to destroy it if it was, or utilize it to destroy the enemy on the other side. It sounded like an artificial Hellmouth.

One thing that Xander made note of was the differences in Centauri Prime, where the shadow's strong holds were, and in the second series, Excalibur, who some of the shadow's minions were. The printout of information about Babylon 5 was there too and the girls helped him come up with a plan of attack while they were en route to Abydos.

"Do you think some of this will be…?"

"Some won't mater, the light is much stronger and I have a feeling from what I talked about with Kosh that so long as we keep Kosh alive that the Vorlon will adhere to his wisdom to allow some chaos. I want to destroy the Shadow home world Z'ha'dum. There is no way I want to risk John for that. Though some things are starting to make more sense where the Vorlon and Shadows are concerned. But I disliked how they almost made it a differing of religious philosophies like one was just as evil as the other and in some ways pertaining to free will I can agree. But after Kosh the Vorlon seemed to almost…"

"They became more arrogant and corrupt. But some of those battle scenes scare the shit out of me!"

Xander nodded agreement. "I'm going to show these to the leaders of Babylon 5; we all know some of what is going on and even if this paints some of our people in a bad light it's better to know it now. I wonder why this didn't come out in our former home realm, I mean if it came out here."

"I don't but I do wonder if it would have or if it came out in the SGC realm, we never thought that the events in the other realms were brandied about as fiction though."

"I think that's a job for Wills here, she can research better than all of us, a simple search online in the SGC realm for all the names we know as friends in the other realms and a list of names from SGC for the other realms, and so on."

"You know when you first saw him you thought John looked quite a bit like Bruce Boxleitner." Cordy offers with a smirking smile.

He flushes. "Yea, but Finn and I are going to have words, if Xander is anything like me, which he is, he talks to his friends about what he watches on TV so I want to know why he didn't mention this or if he didn't realize I want to film his response for future blackmail material." The girls eyes light up and they nod.

Wills curiously throws out, "I wonder why Willow didn't mention it, I might not have much time for TV, but I'm not completely oblivious to your favorite shows especially if you have the DVD box set."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

As they were approaching Abydos, Xander frowns, "Um people we have a pyramid ship in orbit above the intact Stargate on the ground!" They were all silent from shock, "Options?"

"We need to find out if it's Ra, like from SG1, I read the mission reports they had for when they first visited Abydos and if it's Ra than…"

"Then we go from there, yes, it is Ra, that's Ra's Chariot. I'm picking up humans on the surface, it's the same or at least similar to SG1 and SG2's report. They don't seem to have spotted us so we have the element of surprise." _**'The Skydancer may not been fitted with any cloaking technology which could spoof Goa'uld sensors but without some vigilance or a reason to look it's just too insignificant to notice, lets prey it stays that way.'**_

"Can you tell where Ra is on the planet?"

"He's not at the landing site if that's what you mean I'm picking up only a limited number of Jaffa there."

"Could you take them out without notice?"

Xander nods. "Easily, but do we then take the ship?"

"I'll stay here if they notice before we take the ship it would be bad."

Xander nodded. He focused on the area displayed on the screen and vanished in fire. The Jaffa on the ground suddenly burst into flames the instant he flamed in. Then he moved the Stargate, he had one of the iris pairs for the Skydancer and it would fit the entire stargate, he moved it to the version of Abydos that housed the Four Domes.

Then he waited until Ra returned and burned him with his fire magic. The people at first thought he was a god. Xander had a very hard time understanding them because even most of their thoughts were in an unfamiliar syntax and conditioned to not think in certain ways. He really wished he had Daniel.

"I'm not a god, I'm Xander. You are free! Do you want to stay here? The other false gods will think that you are there play things with Ra gone."

It took some time and the girls came down, Xander left the natives to the girls and took Ra's bracelet up to deal with the Jaffa. Kendra was with him instead of the others as violence might be a possibility and Xander didn't want to have to kill Ra's entire contingent of Jaffa.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Willow growled as she was frustrated and Cordy asks her, "Why don't we go get that translator we made for Egeria's world?"

Willow growls "That's it!" She pointed thankfully at Cordelia as her words reminded her of what she was forgetting, "We can use the spell Poppy used and we put in the common room in runes." It was a step above using the pesky runic translator and they never did complete it.

Dawnie offers, "Or we could get Egeria here."

Cordy tells her, "That's not a bad idea, the spell I mean. Egeria might actually be a bad idea if we name her; we don't know how much here is the same as the SGC realm and if Egeria helped set up the other Goa'uld that fought against the system lords it would be very bad to have her hear when we don't know exactly how loyal of subjects these people were."

Dawn shook her head, "But we do know, just scan them, they were slaves and unhappy with Ra. They are to the individual pleased with his death."

Cordy looks and nods after a moment of stretching her senses.

"Do the spell."

Willow does it and sighs when she feels it working. It had been a long time sense she heard words like the ones the people were speaking and the memory of Egeria clicked, the dialect wasn't exactly the same, Egeria would have been able to talk to them but it would have been like someone speaking old English to someone that was raised speaking 'Spanglish'.

"We have freed you of Ra, he is dead, you are free but if you stay here you will not be able to sustain your people. Do you wish to go to another Abydos, one where there are others to learn from and supplies to replenish your needs?"

"We will go, you are truly gods."

It was almost a question but more of a statement.

"No, we are people but we are different, we have adapted and learned you will adapt and learn too. The people there will help you do so."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Xander had to kill the first prime, Kendra knocked out several of the Jaffa which earned her some respect and Xander's fire magic earned him their willingness to listen.

"Willow says they cast a spell to interpret and learn the language, perhaps we should take some Jaffa down there to talk to?"

"You take two, those two and or you could have Willow and the others come up here?"

He didn't want to leave the ship wile there were Jaffa here and he didn't want them all on the ground either.

It would be a few hours before the Jaffa understood, Xander claimed no godhood and he offered them freedom. Including freedom from the symbiote. Not a single Jaffa turned him down; they'd all seen him burn the First Prime without the aid of any gizmos like what their god had needed to do magic. Most didn't believe his claims that he wasn't a god.

Most of the Jaffa left for Abydos in the other realm. Several of them wanted to retrieve their families first. Xander wasn't sure how to fly the Chariot at first but it was easily learned from the minds of the Jaffa. He had the Skydancer returned to Abydos as well and the rings were inside Ra's Ha'tak. The worry over their families was very real; the vacuum of power would put their safety at risk. To help mitigate that he removed the Chappa'ai from the four planets that he retrieved as many people as wanted to leave.

He was going to have his hands full and he decided he need some help, who better to call on than Jack and Teal'c. Perhaps they could help here as well.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4


	17. Chapter 17

The Scooby Gang

The Scooby Gang - Book 4 Babylon 5

Disclaimer: I have no property rights to any published or copyrighted material that is reserved to those that make money from ideas which I do not.

Summery: The fourth book of the Scooby Gang. The group has found a ship in the yellow space; this leads them to a space station named Babylon 5, the last best hope for peace. How will the chaos that seems to thrive around Xander survive on Babylon 5, how will the manor reaction to space travel in normal space?

Sequel to '_The Scooby Gang Book 1, 2, & 3'_

Multi-Ships: m/f/f/f/f f/f/f f/f m/f

Crossovers: Harry Potter, Stargate, Honor Harrington, Highlander, and Babylon 5

THANK YOU cj_cold for your outstanding help as a beta!

Chapter 17:

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

During The last few months several guests from Graysons elderly visited and stayed for a short time on board Prometheus. A majority of these people that were allies of Protector Benjamin, however many of them were simple people with little to no political capital, they just supported him as simple citizens, as in their minds, any Grayson should. In comparison to the numbers receiving the prolong treatment shortly after the Dargol Serum the number of politicos verses common every day citizens was staggering and for every male that did it two to five wives did as well. Only three Keys had visited the large home of the EDC, but Benjamin was carefully screening the elderly he sent. A few people he'd sent didn't need the two month cover for their treatment, because they weren't elderly enough to have it noticed by anyone not a doctor or wife.

To most it was simply allies of the Protector humoring his brother in the foreign rejuvenating treatments and Prolong, after all plenty of men had been treated in _The Joyce_'s medical station. Nobody else needed to know they were going through _The Joyce_ to the Prometheus and then there was a few that had just paid a visit to Xander's apartment and were not seen anywhere near Orbital 4 or _The Joyce_.

Benjamin and Michael Mayhew were unaware of the telepathic abilities of their allies, but they were aware of their ability to judge character. Three of the people they were sending were given the prolong treatment in _The Joyce_, as details of their betrayal or traitorous thoughts were written out by Giles, Janna, Dawn, or more often Xander, the former three could easily enough gain the feel of the person, but Xander was the details man. Protector had more then once been thankful for their diligence if not a bit leery of how they could find out some of the information without alerting Planetary Security. Captain Fox was plenty busy with just investigating the details Benjamin had passed on, at first confirming them and then dealing with either sidelining them or arresting them.

The three families who passed the screening, but were making the time for the process were the Clinkscales, Yanakovs, and the Andrews. It was a simple matter after they recruited the wives into handling the scheduling, but for some reason until then they'd been having trouble finding the time. Officially the three families were taking a trip to Manticore to use their junction to traverse to Beowulf for a new experimental prolong treatment from an ally of the protector. Unofficially they would be spend the days on the Prometheus and having the treatment their first day out.

If they thought it was a simple vacation however they were quickly disabused of the notion. Not only the husbands but the wives were constantly sitting in on classes, researching the technology they could make use of back on Grayson, and a few of them were learning alternative tactics for warfare. The films and music archives of old earth culture were also made use of and recorded for their own use back on Grayson.

As it turns out after a quick study of the genome the Medical Team on the Prometheus were able to also correct some of the issues of what they'd determined was early Grayson sloppy genetic engineering. They couldn't do much for the stable genome but what they could do would help. The Graysons would still predominantly produce females afterwards but the tendency to have their male child fetus miscarry in the second trimester would no longer be an issue. The nature of this was easily seen when they looked at the shifts of genome in their people, especially as they had both male and females there. The 'cure' they came up with was actually a nanotechnology. The cure could work at replicating themselves only from the vial that held a nano-constructor in the base, it would keep the supply of the nanobots there and they would not only make the specific change but would also feed on the heavy metals after they had finished. It wasn't much granted, but they would do so until they burned out by producing the limit of their own kind or found another host to correct the genome of. It could only reproduce a few hundred million times before they burned themselves out, only the nano constructor would exceed that.

The other issue they had with the heavy metals building up in their body was simple enough to deal with using a flushing potion, Poppy whipped up several hundred doses for them before they started to reproduce the potion using modern technology, granted it still needed to be naturally prepared and couldn't for example be replicated but a careful editing of the more esoteric instructions concerning magic, caldrons, and mythological creature parts it was simple enough for anyone to follow.

As for how the Graysons fit in on the Prometheus, it was a strange but almost familiar mix of old Earth technology and advances that were beyond what they were use to. It felt almost like home to them and the open acceptance was part of that. Another part was that the local dating system used the old AD and BC for the calendar which Grayson had clung to.

Xander smiles at Jack, "Hey General, how are they working out?" He gestures to the dozen Graysons.

General O'Neill nods, "Good, the classes have really helped when they went over different naquadah reactions and how to refine it in different ways from the raw naquadah form into different grades and how they are used. I wasn't expecting you so soon after what I heard about the Four domes…" Jack held some concern for Xander in his mind.

Xander smirks at him, "I really home this means Grayson will start to make some use of the naquadah they're harvesting, now that they understand its use but somehow I doubt they will do it right away."

Jack was amused at Xander's need to have Grayson aware of how valuable naquadah was, he'd spoken with Frank and Harriet enough to know he'd tried to get less pay because the naquadah was worth more several times but the Mayhews had enjoyed it far too much to pay him less.

Seeing the amusement Xander winced and readjusted the conversation, "I misjudged the size, the desert plays tricks on you when you don't have anything to compare for distance and size like that. Speaking of desert…"

Jack look interested, "Yea?"

"The Sunnydale realm, the one with the other Hammond, they had a village on Abydos and Ra was there when we showed up."

Jack's eyes widened, "WHAT!?"

A few eyes turned and Xander smirks at him, "We captured most of the Jaffa, and killed Ra, oh and we have his ship too." There was some banter to his voice that was slightly smug at one upping him. "The thing is, we wanted to get the Jaffa out of the realm, them and their families. We don't want them to become victims of the power struggle from the system lords when they find out Ra is dead. We could use some help, and as you and your people are the most familiar with the structure of the stargates and locations I wouldn't mind you lending a hand there."

Jack smiles slightly at the idea of being able to do some good, _**'It shouldn't be too much more work.'**_

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Jack was hardly amused at the lending a hand to Xander. He shook his head at the last six weeks of work, _**'I should have known the work piled on would be in triplicate and would be on paper for me. However, knowing that at least one Skaara out there isn't ever going to be a host to the damned snakes makes it worth it.'**_

He put down a few more words added to the typed work and signed the paper at the bottom. _**'Besides Xander's little factory really delivered with the skinsuits and that built in escape hatch to Four Domes is amazing, it might really saves some lives if there's ever a space battle to worry about here. Dear God I hope there isn't, granted it isn't my purview, thank God for that, I really would hate to order our people into a battle like that.'**_

Jack really should have known that his thoughts were not hidden, and one rather perverse pseudo deity was always listening. Ole Murphy had found his taunt and was going to see what he could do about it. That bit about isn't my purview was a nice opening, not that Ole Murphy was an actual sentient persona rather a perversity of the universe.

Jack shook his head as if clearing away the thought and dismissed the hypothetical danger and then smiled recalling his visit to Abydos and the Four Domes. He was truly awed by the structure personally built by Xander; and the luminous quality of the glass made it… he couldn't think of words to describe it but it really put Xander's character in place. He briefly wondered if someone who didn't know him but just what he did would they consider him a god, he was godlier than any of the Goa'uld he could think of. He put the thought out of his mind and went about re-editing his old mission reports for different planets they'd interacted with and adding helpful notes for first contact.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

A voice came over the comm system, "Xander, are you there?"

"This is Rupert Giles; I'll relay the call just a moment."

"Right, it isn't that important. Just tell him Michael Mayhew invited him over to my brothers for dinner tonight; his wives are welcome as well."

"I'll inform him of it. What time would be acceptable?"

Giles wrote down the time and did a mental calculation for the current time and how long it would give Xander to prepare, or more precisely how long Cordelia, Dawn, and Willow would take to prepare. It wasn't long today was a Saturday on Babylon 5 so Friday for Grayson, Monday for Sunnydale and Four Domes, and Tuesday for the EDC. It made it easy to plan their days around Babylon 5's weekly schedules at least for the fun of having a day to relax at the Manor.

Leaving Monday's clear at the Four Domes meant they didn't have to rush of course the workers there spent a good portion of their day of work goofing off and taking longer breaks which allowed them to fill their day with work every day and have a set routine without being overly worked. They all enjoyed the work and still managed to work harder than most people would if they worked eight hour days.

The entire factory was set up so loosely that a slacker could have easily taken advantage of the system, the issue with that was that none of the workers there were remotely slackers. The credits they earned could be transferred into dollars, galleons, or any other currency for the worlds they might want to spend some of their earnings on. Of course a majority of them were completely new to capitalism and to encourage that lack of greed Xander made sure they were completely provided for.

Giles in some ways couldn't believe Xander's generosity and in other ways couldn't fathom the young man behaving any other way. The outcome had surprised even him, of the money they paid out for the credits and free transportation to any world to spend it on, only the equivalent of a few hundred dollars cash was spent, it was as though Xander's generosity was slowly weeding out the desire for hording, the standard of living was simply so bountiful that the workers wanted for nothing. Hard work and reaching the 'over the top' goals, was often followed by surprise additions such as a theater with several thousand movies and a voting pole for the movies each night was one ingenious addition that encouraged community interaction outside of work.

Giles was fairly sure the generosity would do exactly what Xander hoped and prevent their failing into the trappings of materialistic hoarders. It was also affecting the people that had started working here from Babylon 5 as they were suddenly finding less need for cash or credits. It was as though capitalism was slowly being leeched from the people and for some reason he had to shake off the thought of Xander as King of Four Domes. It wasn't quite ridiculous, not after the last few years but at the same time he was fairly sure the imagery would leek through and he would suffer no end of teasing for it.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Benjamin greeted each of the guests, shaking hands with Xander and kissing the hands in Grayson fashion for the ladies, "Xander, Dawn, Cordelia, Willow, I thank you for coming!"

Xander smirks, "We're honored! What can I say… free food?"

Cordelia rolled her eyes, they stuck with only the three known women for the visits to Grayson in part because adding others to the mix would add faces to the enemies of the Mayhews and if there was any doubt of said enemies existence they only had to go over the transcript of the thoughts Xander had pulled out of the two sleeper sociopaths discovered during the prolong treatments. There were also questions whether the majority of those watching Benjamin would see Dawn and Dawnie as siblings and therefore treat the union as some kind of taboo. They didn't need to have any scandals associated with the Protector.

Benjamin grins at that young man breaking the ice. He could always count on the lad to recognize some tension in the air and relieve it with all due diligence. Xander handed over a bottle of wine, which was a common gift for their dinners when it wasn't a special occasion. The wine was from the Hogwarts realm and picked up in London. It wasn't anything special, but exotic enough by Grayson standards for Benjamin and his wives to enjoy with dinner.

Shortly after the second course Benjamin shared, "We recently received word from our contacts on Manticore. Admiral Courvosier is to be their negotiator and from what we can deduce he will be leading a diplomatic team here within the next year at the latest."

Confirming the name Xander asks, "Raoul?"

Surprised Benjamin nods, "Yes, that's his first name; you know the man?"

Xander nods, "He's a good man, reminds me of a character from an old war series from my old home, Sherman Potter off of MASH."

They were a bit confused at that description Xander shrugs but the girls giggled.

"Raoul is a problem solver, really. He says he's a teacher for advanced tactics at their training island, but Manticore values his opinion as much as it does his expertise. He's likely to want people here with him that he can trust which isn't going to be everyone on his team as he doesn't teach diplomacy at the academy."

Ben smiled, "Not unless it's the diplomacy of who carries the best stick."

Xander nods, "I would recommend trying to treat those military crews he's with as his more so than the civilian negotiators. I however can't think of a better advantage to forging an alliance with Manticore than his arrival here."

That was what Benjamin had wanted to know, he was fairly sure that Manticore wanted this alliance; but he wasn't sure if they were putting up the same effort or if it would be up to him.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The Four Domes was deemed to be the safest environment they could muster, at least as far as for alien life goes and that included everyone from people of Narn to Rose the baby ship. The fact was that without the Chappa'ai to facilitate the growth of the more volatile aliens in the Sunnydale realm, the only ones that thrived were the ones that could produce their own food and sustain themselves. This left quite a few civilizations dead, but those included beings like the Goa'uld and other predators that relied on nearly instant world to world travel.

So far the Goa'uld sensors, as well as the more advanced Asgardian, could find no civilizations on the worlds nearby. It would take time to check the locations in real space using hyperspace or sails. They had already planted a beacon in jumpspace, as they called the hyperspace from Babylon 5 now. The mate to the hyperspace beacon was just outside of the gravity sink of the sun of Abydos.

Right now the beacon was alone as far as they could tell in jumpspace, but it wouldn't be for long. The main reason for the beacon was because Rose was now normally found in the Abydos system, she had her own floating Iris in space and could freely visit the Manor, the Mate to the iris ironically was underneath the Manor and completely concealed with magic. The surface of the Iris is flush with the wards and only one side of the Iris that can be entered or exited. The other iris actually has a few attachments on the side that isn't used making it look a bit like a geode reversed.

Jack O'Neill, the younger version, commented to Xander as they watch the ship playing with Buckbeak, "Rose sure has grown the last few months."

"Yea, she's a bit upset about being so big, and even more upset at being bigger in the future. She realizes she's a starship, a leviathan of the stars, but she likes the interaction on a personal level."

"She doesn't realize the interaction of having people inside her?"

"Not yet, of course I think she's more physical than most of her kind. She has also started to grow a bit faster the last few months than she was before. Kosh says it's natural when she's exposed to vacuum and solar rays. Evidently she absorbs more vacuum energy that way."

"Any relation to the ZPMs they're studying on the Prometheus?"

"I'm not actually sure, maybe some relation but I doubt it's harnessed the same way."

Jack nods his head and smiles as the ship spins like a ballerina when the hippogriff had almost been able to pin her down.

"Any idea what our next target is in the Sunnydale realm?"

Xander winced, "I'm not sure, we've secured several allies for that Earth and removed several stargates from the worlds that the people there don't use them, helped heal the Jaffa of their pouches and boosted their immune system. We made it look as though it was a rival Goa'uld that took the stargate and cut them off. We put the stargates at the Four Domes where Miss Rose there has been soaking up the sun."

"If nothing else you can use the stargates to try and set up a network there."

"Yea we can try but I'm not sure it'll work. Whatever destroyed the gates here likely damaged the pathways they took. I'm fairly sure we could have one on Earth and one on Abydos and it wouldn't do a damn thing."

Jack winced and nodded.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Rose had recently found with her growth that her mood had shifted, she was still feisty as she ever was, but her conscious thought was speeding up. She had to make an effort to use syntax with her humans and found playing with Buckbeak to be ever the release. On the plus side she didn't think that that she would have a problem being large anymore. She still wished she could share the human experience, perhaps she would ask her mother about it. She hadn't visited her in months, not since she'd returned from Vorlon Space with Kosh.

She'd liked the quiet of the Four Domes; it wasn't just the sun and open space to speed around in. It wasn't that there were so little in the other levels of space that she listened to, and she liked to listen to the quiet. She liked the quiet, but loved the chaos of the heavily populated sectors of space as well.

She had picked up very little expectations on what was going to be her innards, the common areas of the area provided for her human. Most of her kind adapted to their companion in a way that allowed them to be custom for them. If they needed the heavy world gravity or a light world gravity that was there, if they wanted a bright light that was there or a dark glow of soft light at the further most edge of sight. None of those cues were there and it was left up in the air. She almost doubted that she would ever have a human inside her at all and for some reason that was now a very sorrowful point where a month and a half a go that would not have mattered much at all.

Some of the issues she was facing concerning her companion was that the irises cut off the realm and unlike the leather straps and harnessed telepathic ability of her companion hers was more of a broad-spectrum broadband connection that wasn't focused enough to pierce the divide between realms.

She hoped that she would eventually be able to focus and do that, but then again she hoped that she would be able to take her human wherever he needed or wanted to go.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

"Thank you for taking the time for this. Now I have all the transcripts on datapads for later and a few outlines but feel free to take notes if you want to, mostly I just found out that these were out in the Sunnydale Realm and I felt that you should all watch them. One thing I must point out that these are made with actors and actresses from that realm not you and that it depicts an interpretation of what might have been without us arriving. There is close to a year or so worth of verification for us to watch before we get into what could have happened so you can just the accuracy for yourselves. However I think we can all agree that our future actions are what we want to be associated with, not mistakes of the passed."

John blinked in shock, he had set aside three days for everyone here, they had some excellent secondary command staff from General Hague's people and in fact the general himself was serving as temporary commander of the station for the long weekend. They could call for anything and likely would, but he had no idea that the reason was because of a TV Series about their lives.

John nods and glances at the others, "Why don't we watch a few of these… episodes?"

Xander nodded and they started with 'The Gathering' the pilot episode. By the time they watched the character introductions including Commander Jeffrey Sinclair, Lieutenant Commander Laurel Takashima, Security Chief Michael Garibaldi, and Medical Officer Benjamin Kyle, of which Xander had only met half of, they knew it was real. The fact that they found actors that were so close in appearance to the actual people was eerie in itself. Xander was already contemplating picking up the other movies and TV shows that those actors and actresses that played them on Babylon 5 had starred in for the sheer entertainment aspect of it, but that was for later.

Kosh's attempted murder was interesting to watch from an outside perspective. The locals' reaction shared the shock of seeing their lives on the screen like some sort of judgment day, but other than that their emotions ranged from John's analyzing of the previous commander's choices and disbelieving of missed clues and or lapses of security for which Michael made a note on his pad as to fix, concerning station security; to the G'Kar's amusement and humorous understanding of Sinclair's tactic of keeping him in line. The Narn knew that there were political issues and passed mishaps or out and out bad deeds that they were all guilty of, he assumed they were all guilty of, which would come to light. He wasn't the only one to find Sinclair's method humorous, but he was the most vocal when it came to his laughter.

Xander was sure G'Kar had tears coming out of his eyes from the laughter.

The second episode wasn't nearly as humorous in the end. The death scene in the dream reminded Londo of it and he was thankful that he had hopefully avoided that fate. More ironic is that it was quite obvious that several misconceptions were laid down in their own private beliefs which would later, or did already in the here and now, shape their choices… exactly like the shadows wished them to do.

The third exposed and the Soul Hunter who Xander takes a personal interest in. It really had very little to do with their situations but it did prove some bona fides. N'Garth was also an interesting case; the special effects hit the nose on the head for that one. Michael looked at Xander, "Could you splice any scenes of that little bastard together and put them on a separate chip?"

Xander smirked at him and nodded, "I'll put a date time approximation but with me here changing things I'm pretty sure anything new is skewed."

At the end of the episode Xander nods proudly at the now slightly smug Delenn, who had on the screen broken open the souls to free them.

"If they asked there are souls that would welcome a continued interaction with the mortal realm. If they were willing to work with people than they could even have a niche…" he shook his head. The next episodes, Born to the Purple, Infection, The Parliament of Dreams, Mind War, The War Prayer, And the Sky Full of Stars, Deathwalker, Believers, Survivors, By Any Means Necessary, Signs and Portents, TKO, Grail, Eyes, Legacies, A Voice in the Wilderness, Part I, A Voice in the Wilderness, Part II, Babylon Squared, The Quality of Mercy, and Chrysalis finished out the season and left them all exhausted.

Things that they had forgotten as unimportant suddenly, almost because the script writer thought they were important, became highlighted in there minds, from Londo's purple papers to the Ikarran Warrior armor, the later being organic tech which was similar to both the demonic tech the Shadows use and the engineered sentient life Vorlons use. The major difference was that Shadow organic tech fed on the soul of those around it, a shadow crab needed a soul to feed on to be maintained and the Vorlon ships were apt to be companions to sentient beings. Of course thinking like a demon where the soul and companionship was concerned the shadows were very similar to the Vorlons in that they wish to share what they are with their 'companion' it's that they are fear, hate, anger, and conflict twisted for their own advancement instead of wide range of emotions they are dark.

The list of everything they watched on the screen was long and arduous. However it really hit home the timing of everything as well as seeing things from other perspectives. Michael, the ever present minded security chief yawns, "Xander, I might not have said it before, but I'm quite thankful to have stumbled upon you with Mr. Keffer that day. But I think we're all a bit tired, perhaps we should pick this up tomorrow morning?"

Xander nods. "I put a copy of the 'Lurkers Guide' for the first season on the datapads. It gives you the option of reading the transcripts but it also gives you an outline of the episodes, season, and overviews which include Unanswered Questions, like: Who invaded Ikarra so many times? What was so valuable about it? Why is Jeffrey Sinclair so prone to heroism and so often putting his life on the line? Though if I read this right Garibaldi suggests an answer of 'When the war ended it took away the direction it gave his life, as happened to many veterans. So now he's looking for something worth dying for because it's easier than finding something worth living for. But Sinclair's not entirely satisfied with that answer, and resolves to give it more thought."

Michael winced, "I'm not sure I would say that now, it's just his nature, he's hardwired that way and come to think of it, now that I know of his future and our past it may be genetic!"

The rest of them, even Delenn laugh at that.

"I don't think any of us really want to talk about this tonight, I recommend a sleeping aid for the night or your minds won't be able to slow down no matter how tired you are."

They all nod, it would take the full two days to watch the other four seasons, but they wouldn't have time to talk about it or watch the films or the Crusade series. It was quite obvious from the notes and rush of the next couple of weeks that they were using the information to the best of their abilities. The films were another thing all together; the Thirdspace and the River of Souls were also very interesting. The later was one they hoped to share with the Soul Hunter species so they could understand the extent of their crime.

By the time they had finally taken the time, individually to watch the movies Xander had also secured the comic books and checked the other realms for similar publications which he found in the SGC realm. It would take some time to compare the two similar series before realizing that they were slightly altered form one another. About a half a dozen episodes were switched out for other episodes a few people left the show that hadn't in the other five year series.

Ironically the one item that stood out in the rest of the series was when Lady Morella had the vision of both Londo and Vir becoming emperors of Centauri and Vir shouting at the screen, "I don't want to be Emperor!" This had a round of laughs that had Londo pleased he'd not done the same thing as he really had no need for the position. The only other issue that arose was Lennier's stunned disbelief at his onscreen double's betrayal and Xander had fixed that quickly enough.

"Most likely" Xander elucidates his idea on the subject, "The shadow agent implanted a subconscious trigger that would gather strength and activate when your will was at its weakest. I think that's something we can all agree on is within the limits of the Shadow's abilities and something Morden would have had access to. You were neither a trained psychic nor using any form of protection against mental tampering at the time. His words gained power inside your mind against your will. I'm fairly sure that when the time comes we'll find a way to destroy Z'ha'dum just to ensure that the demons can't recuperate and I'm half sure if they are doing that there they either have a Hellmouth there naturally or formed one using technology."

They all knew what the Hellmouth was, but as they hadn't watched Thirdspace yet it was not like they had any idea how one could be formed using technology.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

With Xander distracted by the Babylon 5 frenzy Cordy took the time to plan a special surprise for the anniversary of their first kiss. With the mangled time comparison from several realms she got with Willow, Kendra, and Dawn for their input. It wasn't really a first kiss so much as a first sexual experience, the death of the Judge, and, in her and their hearts, the day they tied their futures together.

"So we're all agreed today's the day of our anniversary?"

"I think we are, so long as Xander agrees, I can't see him not agreeing."

They all smiled just a bit, they felt a bit gypped at the lack of a wedding but then again to most everyone they would invite to the wedding now they were already married. It played havoc with a girl's dreams, but really with the relationship they shared there were some things they'd have to forgo.

Kendra glanced at the others and smirked a bit, "Perhaps we should say this is our anniversary week instead of day?"

Cordelia giggled and nods agreement. The other girls all giggle as well, the plan was simple enough. They had it all drafted out for romance, both what they considered romance and the foreplay during certain public activities that Xander would consider romance. Ironically enough this included the theater at Four Domes, a carpet ride above the towering glass spikes late at night, and a few more physical activities such as dancing and in one case volley ball at the beach.

Oh yes the week of fun with as little work as possible for any of them was well worth it to remind them of their relationship and give them a reason to attend those issues that allowed it.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4 SMUT WARNING…

Xander couldn't help but smile, all was right in the world, the last week had been heaven and he was sure the girls had planned every minute of it. He and the girls had been pretty free and open with sex, but at times the sex was just part of their release and every day enjoyment of their relationships. It was hardly romantic most of the time and if anything this week proved that romance added something to the sex that simple emotions couldn't. Not once had Xander had sex that there wasn't a spark in there but the last six days it was more along the lines of a burning inferno. Ironically the volleyball they played on the first day against others that had taken the day off from either the Manor or Sunnydale was how they started out and they played half the day in the sun. The scorching ocean heat and salt water air had really drained them, but the skimpy swimwear and constant physical contact that wasn't nearly enough served to keep them all on edge most of the day.

The exhausted harem and Xander had simply fallen asleep that night in each other arms on the beach in front of a fire. The next six days weren't nearly as physically exhausting, outside of sex. But they served to remind the small group of what they were to each other and of course the foreplay had seemingly taken on a life of its own. To most they'd just vanished for the week, but everyone knew where they were even if they didn't remain in contact.

Most of the week after the beach was spent on Abydos at the Four Domes and their lovey-dovey interaction wasn't missed by the locals. There were a few who had quietly inquired of those that would know what the occasion was and this served as another notch in the belt for the reasons to stay for those from Babylon 5.

"You know I'm going to miss this when we go back to the Manor."

Cordy's husky voice sounded in his ear, "You can still take us on dates, dweeb!"

Xander shivered and pulls her close pressing his leg into her hot core, "I can but I think you should plan them. If this tells me one thing it's that I should stick to planning invasions and defense tactics and let the professionals handle the dates."

Dawnie giggles and nods, "I think you could do it if you were given options and experience. Outside of what you've got now you didn't have much dating history. I think you're romantic in your gestures and understanding of what we want, but it's not always about what we want but about what we do… together…"

Xander gave her a look and smiles widely bending over and kissing her forehead and then moving his head to the side and nibbling her ear. He however was not solely focused on her, he had a hand under Cordelia and his finger found her sweet-spot. As she moaned and rotated her hips against his leg, he moved her and himself so he was under her directly and without looking he easily lined her up.

His hand was free now, both of them, and Cordelia was slamming herself onto his hard erection. Dawnie was moaning now as he had pushed her sideways and his mouth, stopping to nibble her breast that had recently gained a cup size and were exact replicas of Dawn's, found the moist center, sideways.

With Dawnie becoming vocal Kendra decided her mouth needed put to work and pushed her face to the right spot that her loud moaning and screaming was both muffled and providing pleasure. She pulled Willow to her kissing her as Xander's hand was already taking up the redhead's curtains.

The open mental link between the six had a feedback surge when Xander climaxed and the girls were shaking from their own multiple orgasms. Cordy was knocked out, but she had ridden him even through her orgasms. He sleeved himself in the younger Dawn and this time he was focused solely on her as he plowed away with a motion that had her orgasm quickly and than orgasm again. Her final climax was when Xander sent his seed deep within her womb and the two were mentally connected at the time.

Xander fell back nearly blacking out from the orgasm. That was when Willow's mouth found his prick and started making sure it was nice and hard. Xander moaned piteously as he hardened and Kendra lined him up for Willow.

Before he could complain Kendra then put his mouth directly under her own snatch and she was soaked and dripping. He reached around and started to fondle her with his tongue as Willow tried her hardest to make him cum.

As Kendra had her orgasm, Willow slowed and pulled off him then sunk again this time in a hole that was a bit tighter. Willow didn't last long as she had an orgasm rather quickly and Kendra had another. When Kendra's orgasm had her seeing stars she found herself face first in Willow's snatch.

Dawn spoke up form the side, "You two had better hurry up or I'm going to put on a strap on!"

Kendra gave her a look and Dawn smirks.

Xander had a chance to look at Dawn's face between her knees and groaned as she was fingering herself while she waited. That image was much more stimulating then the shadows of Kendra's snatch, if only because she had a lamp adjusted to light up her actions.

Xander climaxed, but Willow wasn't done yet. She sunk herself down and started to flex her butt muscles tightening and loosening and then tightening until he was hard again which took longer than a blow job would have.

She smirks at Dawn and lifts getting a few good slams in before she lifts off and then sucking him clean for her.

Dawn grinned and facing away from Xander's head she pulled Willow to the bed and started to eat her out while she shimmied up and down on Xander's cock as fast as her hips could move. She didn't slow down until he came which ironically enough was only about ten minutes.

Kendra smirked at her and sucked Xander's cock while the two girls ate each other out, by the time Kendra had her final orgasm for the night Xander had passed out.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

As Xander and the girls enter the Manor Allen enters from the Prometheus, "I just thought I would let you know that the EDC is currently entering battle. We've moved the civilian noncoms to the Four Domes rather than to Earth just in case they fail."

Cordelia frowns "Fail, what the hell?"

Allen winces, "Fail, there's a massive fleet approaching Earth now, they entered the Sol system cloaked to the Goa'uld sensors we're utilizing on the Prometheus. So far we've spotted four different Jaffa markings in abundance, Yu, Ba'al, and two others. This seems to be a coordinated attack on Earth."

Xander winces but points out, "Make sure they inform the Asgard that they have now broken the treaty, at least from what I recall of it. They are not attacking them on another planet but in space within their system. That violates both the spirit and the letter of the treaty and I know they were looking for an excuse to end the Protected Planets Treaty so they could step in and eliminate the Goa'uld tyranny, at least for the most part."

Allen nods. "I'll make sure General Hammond knows."

"If you want, before you return I can see about sending a few Starfuries I'm fairly sure that I can talk to Babylon 5 and see if our people on Narn or in Blasedale won't mind supplying the pilots for a while."

Allen sighs with relief, "I'll clear it with Hammond and O'Neill."

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

The battle was unlike the last one the men had been in, they had a target rich environment and their suits were rigged with an escape hatch. The first twenty times they were hit with kill shots they appeared in the Four Domes and within twenty minutes they were back out there and ironically enough in the same squad as they had all been destroyed.

Xander entered and sighs as he sees General O'Neill watching General Hammond work with a worried look on his face. He was there to lend a hand, but Hammond was doing his job and it was ironically enough not a job for the SGC, but the EDC. Xander quickly approaches the irritated general, "Jack, we have plenty of Starfuries but we don't have nearly as a plentiful supply of death gliders. Your people haven't flown the Starfuries yet and we don't have time to teach them at the moment. If you want I'll rig up the tri-iris to duplicate death gliders, but we're going to need some help to set it up."

"I'll have SG1 and SG2 lend a hand, hell I'll help."

Hammond looks up and sighs with relief, "I have to thank you Xander, if you hadn't gotten us those skin suits we'd have already lost Earth."

Xander winces and nods, "You just need to set up the larger Iris in the launching bay so Jack can send through the death gliders, we'll load every other one with a pilot from the Four Domes Receiving Center."

General Hammond nods and waves as a report blares form one of the communications consoles connected to the Starfuries. They'd had to rig up the communications radios and ironically enough they were more similar to what was already used on Earth by the general military; which made it almost easier for their people to use than the communications gear in the death gliders.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4

Setting up the large tri-iris saw the production of hundreds of death gliders in the first hour. This evened the odds as a death glider with shields was more combat affective than even the Thunderbolts, which was the model of the Starfuries they were using. Ironically the Thunderbolts armor was able to take a few hits where the death gliders without the shields were not.

Eventually, after a full day and half of work Jack shook his head, "We need rails, Xander can we set up a pair of rails going through the irises?"

Xander frowns and nods slowly, "You know if we set it up like that, a railing will come out of both of them and if we set it up so the one that comes out of one of the irises will land on the rail… softly, and go through the entry iris again…"

Jack nods, "That would give us a large increase in producing more death gliders."

"It would only take seconds and if we move the iris between drops it would not even need us to move the ships, we can move the other iris the one to the Prometheus launching bay and not just have the pilots enter the death where we dropped them…"

Jack nods, "I'll get to work on that we don't know how long it will take to make so keep up this method, but maybe move the irises like you were saying to speed it up?"

Xander winces and nodded.

It would be _another_ twelve hours before they beat back the forces of the four Goa'uld system lords. Ba'al, Yu, Kali, Bastet, Morrigan, Olokun, Svarog, and Apophis were all involved although Apophis's Jaffa were a token involvement, as if he was already committed elsewhere. The number of dead Jaffa was outrageous in the space battle but Ba'al, Bastet, and the queen Morrigan survived the encounter with sufficient Jaffa to maintain their position of power, Kali, Yu, Olokun, and Svarog were killed, their ships were destroyed when the Starfuries utilized a missile that the people at Four Domes attached and set up to manually arm. It only took four kills before the other system lords backed off.

It was truly ironic that they were able to keep the fighting far enough away from Earth in the Sol System that they did not gain much attention, still there were a few who watched the night sky with knowing eyes and over the next few months they would be invited to the Prometheus when they made enough inquiries to those that are aware.

George Hammond was already ready to pay through the nose to Xander for the lives saved; he was going to make sure the President and Secretary of Defense was aware of the importance of his involvement and see if he could implement some launchers for those ship killers. He would have to talk to Xander about them first he was sure… Needless to say after two full days of fighting, the crew of the Prometheus and those working doubly hard at the Four Domes were ready for a rest.

TSGB4-TSGB4-TSGB4


End file.
